The Story of Alexander Graham Bell (1939) - full transcript

It's me miss McGregor.
Joe Elliott

Come in.

Well, what is it? - Amy
wanted I should come over

to tell you she can't do the clothes
this week. She stove up with cold.

And she sent you ten
miles just to tell me the that.

You know Amy. Once she's got
something to say she's gonna say it now.

Besides it only took about
two hours the way I came

Good night.
- Good night, Joe.

Kelly to take a hot
lemonade and sweat it out.

I will, thank you.
Good night. - Good night.

that lies to my breasts
at one cherishing word



that lols is one big
Xander dreaming of light

and Canberra she's very light oh look he's hiding

Dominick's is holy

like going to the theater for nothing

what do you say folks if we organize the

quartet right here mr. calhoune will be

the baritone I'll carry the lead Tom

will be the tenor all we need is bass

how about you went through why he

couldn't carry a tune in a bucket

perhaps our new boarder mr. Bell might

do who the professor our young genius

bells all right just different but do

you suppose he really believes he can



teach that deaf and dumb child he

brought here to talk all I can say is if

the Lord intended dumb people to talk

he'd have taken care of it oh excuse me

oh come in mr. bear miss McGregor do you

have any any copper wire in the house

a big picture wire I'll do copper wire

yes I I need about 17 feet for one of my

experiments and all the shops are closed

at this hour why the idea of expecting

to find 17 feet of wire at this time of

night well I never heard of such a thing

mr. Bale well I'm sorry if I bothered

you good night

adjustable wood professor don't figure

an impertinence and we've just been

wondering if it's true you can teach

dumb people to talk I hope to someday

you see mr. Darcy the reason deaf mutes

can't speak is that they have bad ears

and not not bad vocal cords never having

heard speech they can't imitate it so if

we can find a way to to visualize sound

for them and there's no reason why they

shouldn't speak as well as any one of us

is there no I guess not no of course not

would you stay and show us some of your

tricks mr. Bell tricks yes it would be

such fun I've heard you make the piano

play by just talking to it

oh well I'll be glad to but they're

they're not tricks please

they're very simple manifestations of

the of the nature of sound and of

vibrations in the air now first I push

down the sustaining pedal then I depress

the key doh

doh

ray me far

so Mart's positively spooky oh no no not

at all mrs. McGregor sound is nothing

but air in motion when I sing the scales

I set up certain vibrations which fall

on the strings of the piano just as they

fall on the membranes of our ears thus

producing corresponding vibrations or

sounds is that clear No

mr. bell the little boy's father's here

to see you with another gentleman Mr

Sanders thank you excuse me please mr.

bell

that's a dandy act I bet you could do

something with but thank you Miss Darcy

I expect to and alali flow mr. Sanders

always he just fine I want you to meet

my friend and gardener Herbert Alexander

Graham Bell mr. Hubbard

of course I know you by my reputation

your your interest in the Clark School

for the Deaf I've been hearing about you

too and your work with Sanders boy would

you like to go out and see George became

Hall please

that's the multiple Telegraph Bell is

working on if it works and I'm sure my

theory is right I ought to be able to

send as many as 50 messages at a time

over one wire get him interested Alec

and your financial worries are over

he's the best organizer in Boston he's

the man who brought gets to this towns

well I'll be delighted to explain it to

you sir you see when I press this letter

all the time mr. Bell some other time

right now I'm more interested in what

you're doing for Sanders boy than I am

in any newfangled invention oh yes

we'll go right in excuse me this way

please

me may we see George he's asleep but I'm

sure he'd want to see his father

go ahead sir

shall I speak to him

I told him to shake hands with you and

he understood you you saw what he did

now I'm asking you if I should tell you

how our glove works we began by teaching

him to spell simple words like CIT and

then showing him a cat now by touching

the letters or or other combination of

letters I can talk to him as rapidly as

I can to you but I understood you were

teaching him to actually speak what's

this

have you ever succeeded in teaching a

child it was born deaf to speak no and

as far as I know nobody else has but I

have great hopes and they'll still young

but he's had some mighty interesting

experiences with sound and speech tell

about the melody

well I crumble family that that has made

a professional study on mechanism of

speech for two generations before me my

grandfather

Alexander Bell and my father Alexander

Melville Bell were elocutionist who

devoted their entire lives to the

correction of defects of speech

perhaps you've read some of their books

on the subject well from earliest

childhood I was trying to become a

teacher of speech that and the fact that

my mother was deaf led me to my present

interest in deaf mutes and well mute

wires like The Telegraph mr. Bell I have

a little girl of my own that I want you

to work with she had scarlet fever when

she was 4 years old it had left her

stone deaf I've had her in Germany

learning lip-reading well I'm sorry sir

but when I'm not working with George I

spend all my time working on my

Telegraph come over to supper to

Saturday night and we'll talk it over

well I hope you like beans Boston baked

beans no not much and besides you like

the kind my cook prepares

come on Sanders it's 2 and a half

minutes past 9:00 nevermind Ellie

you'll have a fine chance to tell him

about your Telegraph instrument Saturday

night

it's kind of slippery isn't it young

lady

may I suggest the sidewalk is no place

for sleds the sidewalk is very narrow

the ice makes one's footing very

uncertain you might have ruined the most

important piece of electrical equipment

the city of Boston oh I can excuse such

behavior in children but I but I don't

well what did you say I said you are no

longer a child and that I think I'm

sorry would you mind speaking a little

more distinctly young lady I come from a

long line of elocution teachers my

grandfather my father wrote text books

on the subject I think I know what I'm

speaking distinctly goodnight I'm sorry

but you see I

the essential parts of both my

transmitter and my receiver are these

tune reads made of flattened steel clock

Springs one end of which is attached to

poles of these electromagnets while the

other end is free to vibrate over the

other poles like this interesting isn't

it dear 626 mother

yes dear but I'm sure separate would be

aankhon the transmitter has maken

breakpoints ah come in my dear come in

mr. Bell this is my little girl Gertrude

your little oh but but I thought how do

you do miss Hubbard very well thank you

and these are my three other little

girls right Oh Mabel and grace mr. bell

good evening my dear

how are you papa mr. bell

this is the little girl I was telling

you about mr. Bell and I have already

met I believe what what do you mean met

he just got here uh I think I knocked

him down and I'm awfully sorry if your

whatever it was was ruined oh no not at

all mr. Bell makes things dear he was

just telling us about his Telegraph when

you came in I beg your pardon AMA his

Telegraph Telegraph that oh please go on

oh yes please we do have to hear about

it well I was just saying when a spring

sends its electrical tone into the wire

theoretically only its mate and receiver

should respond and if I set up a number

of sets of Springs tuned to different

pitches then I could send a similar

number of messages over the same wire

I'm sorry if I said anything out there

to offend you but you didn't of course

not and and do go on well that's about

all except that it may not work

oh but it will work I'm sure they

suffered a service of it thank you no

uh-uh

this is a third successive night suppose

been late I'm sorry dear I'll speak to

cook gold on girls

mr. bell supper mr. bell I hope you like

beans of Boston baked beans didn't you

think you had a very nice face

Oh papa you know very well I didn't mean

papa

oh then you mean mr. bell yeah so good

mr. bell why thought he looked all right

for playing man didn't you think your

nice nose it was awfully Roman or

something oh yes nice eyes to it blaze

so when he talks I think you're in love

navel oh goody navel survived many

Father loves good it was advertising for

fog putting money in this telegram

imagine Papa green to pay for his

experiment mr. bells is the first voice

I've ever really wanted to hear oh

darling of course he's wonderful he's a

mom do you think you like me Gertie I

mean even if I can of course he will

that'll make him like you ten times as

much you won't feel sorry for me it

won't be that will it oh no of course

not then I go to marry what I'm going to

marry him I knew it the first time I saw

him I just made up my mind like that

look papa Oh what will the posse I don't

care what the boss says I'll just close

my eyes and then it won't be able to

hear him and besides but pom doesn't

know yet nobody must know yet only you

oh but you know how I am about secrets

I'll just die if I can't tell it but you

won't tell this Gertie you promise me

you won't tell well I won't if you

promise to tell me everything he says he

does

alright alright I promise Shh Gertrude

you and Mable stop that foolish cheddar

don't you know it's exactly 11 minutes

past 10:00 put out the lights and go to

bed

yes Papa why did you say is that to go

to bed

you know if you had married him I would

Oh

girdi don't you love New England in the

spring mr. bell sprained yes is very

nice we often come out here for picnics

mother and father and well all of us you

do I'm sorry mr. bell but you'll have to

look at mirror I can't see what you're

saying oh sorry

Oh

won't you tell me what's wrong won't yes

yes you've hardly spoken a word to me

since we started have I said I've done

anything to offend you

oh no certainly not it's just that well

I've been thinking yeah you see it may

take years before I get anywhere with

the Telegraph and I was just wondering

whether or not I ought to go on with it

go on with it

suppose I don't want to wait suppose are

things I want to do now while I'm young

things I might do if I gave all my time

to a regular position like teaching at

Boston University or something what sort

of things do you want stupid oh I don't

know me

a wife whom

finish your Telegraph first the wife

will wait she will oh yes mr. bell

I'm sure she will oh oh thank you but

that's all I wanted to know oh but but

there's something else I ought to tell

you yeah

I'm not as interested in the Telegraph

as I used to be you're not no ever since

I went to Brantford to visit my family

last Christmas I'd had a new idea

rattling around in my head he did the

biggest idea I've ever had in my life

all the craziest wouldn't you like to

tell me about it well I have an idea but

if I could make a kind of electricity

vary in intensity exactly as the air

varies in density when sound passes

through it then then I could transmit

sound even speech telegraphic Lee I'm

sorry but I don't understand I mean I

could talk through a wire talk through a

why yes I could send a human voice as

far as wires could be strung hah but

that doesn't seem possible

uh-huh I can't believe it it's talking

through a wire

I guess it's crazy

oh when you going to start work on it

mr. bell

Monday night Thomas Watson an

electrician who makes all my apparatus

for me is moving in with me to help me

oh then then you were really asking me

for my endorsement and not my adviser

something like that huh mr. bell if you

spend all your time working on this how

will you live oh I'll manage somehow but

don't think I want to use the money your

father lends me for anything but the

Telegraph oh no I'm gonna work on this

new idea in my spare time oh yes yes I

am mr. him but mr. Bell if I were you I

wouldn't tell my father about this yeah

you see he gets off the upset if people

don't finish what they started out to do

couldn't this be our secret for a little

while anyway perhaps that would be why

is he and safer how much safer mr. Bell

much

mother Oh mother neighbor we're on any

you did Oh mother I've just been to the

most glorious Drive in the world happen

hmm Mabel do you realize what time it is

you missed your supper oh please papa

don't scold me tonight

not tonight we've been worrying about

you for hours something might have

happened to you child

it's all right now garden it was all my

fault huh bird

I talked so much neither of us noticed

the time no and and finally we had to

stop under the streetlight so so I could

see what he was saying but I'm just

slipped by yes mother alla get such

wonderful ideas Alec Alec Oh

I mean mr. bell well please call me Alec

all right mr. bell

won't you stay and have something to eat

oh no no not now I I must be going

but I good night in summer good night

good night mr. Hubbard good night good

night good night good night everybody

come do you must be hungry

why couldn't eat a thing not tonight

mother good night good night before

oh the most exciting thing is just

happened come on oh car keeps pining for

one kind word call me pet names dearest

call me Alec pack pack pack the boys are

pack king cheer up farmers they will

come haha

careful Watson you'll break something

good then you'll have to buy more stuff

from our boss listen if it hadn't been

for your boss overcharging me we

wouldn't been turned out of here stop

argue you'll get turn out of better

places in this before you're through you

needn't bother packing your things mr.

bell nothing's leaving this house until

I get my rent you you mean you're going

to hold my things the long gives me that

right I certainly shall but mrs.

McGregor ah I told you I'd send you your

money as soon as I can

there's no use to arguing out you go but

your things stay here I won't leave them

I can't I've got to happen oh no you

don't know about things stay right here

no not not that not his vocal cords

vocal cords yes those belong to a

Chinaman they've got pickled over at

Harvard get it out of here get all this

junk out of here

junk did you say junk yes don't get it

out of my house I'm sick and tired of

seeing it around you've had this base

looking like a pigsty long enough get it

out before I throw it out the window or

burn it up mrs. MacGregor at this moment

I can almost kiss you don't you dare lay

a hand on to fake that I have so

misjudged you in fact I'll even give you

the very shirt off of my back remove

uncommon and I'll have you arrested

come on before she changes her mind

hi Jenny

hello mr. Sanders what's going on here

I'm leaving leaving guess I'm taking

George back to his grandmother's I don't

understand Eric you've taken my money

you build up my hopes and now you're

walking out on my boy or I'm not walking

out sir I'm I'm being thrown out but you

had money I paid you only last Thursday

and how well III use that for some new

equipment then why didn't you ask me for

an advance or you you don't understand

sir I I expect to be working nights and

and where I'm going isn't a suitable

place for George that's why I'm taking

him back to his grandmother's but that's

in Salem what about you work with him

well I expect to go to Salem every other

day that's all I'm sorry Alec I ought to

have known you better than that it's all

right mrs. Amos al hurry here she comes

yeah take this awful thing find you on

the entire quarter and leave one

all-night party known as Williams

Electric Company

well we're slow are you gonna take with

that I'm ready now we can try it again

honest I know penis I'm just a plain

ordinary man all right sweep like a

human do and I oh I've got a sitter day

after day night after night wasting away

tapping a little piece of metal I do

remember when I used to know pretty

girls been in another world mumble maybe

on the birth of great discovery long as

I can remember we found the bird look

here I can only find four new Springs I

thought I told you to get hired

I'm sure I told you to get five I

remember now you had just enough money

to pay for the five new Springs of 25

cents each

now where is that on the spring I ate it

you did what I didn't mean to I was

going along and I I saw that food in the

window suddenly I got such a craving I

couldn't stand it I went by twice I

tried not to go in but I couldn't help

but I was hungry I can't go on living

forever with so you ate one of my

Springs you took the last 25 cents we

had to fill your miserable little stuff

yes I did I told you I'm no genius

I'm through starving I'll go out to the

Indian territory lived on buff fair

steak and you or nobody else's stuff

wait all the paint off that you might

why money is yours is show me show me

what what did you do it - I didn't do

anything

but you did something I saw it I heard

it Moo little spring stopped vibrating I

just plucked at that saw but I heard a

sound a full musical note with overtones

through the wire show me everything you

did well this this contact screw grad

stack make a pun on contact with the

spring yes I just snapped it while the

while the circuit remained unbroken

I suppose so then that strip a

magnetized steel was generating its own

current do it again no wait no wait wait

a minute wait all right wow it worked it

works it works I read it again

are you an Indian Jordan Chenal the Six

Nations tuck me in well that makes it

all right then

don't you understand we've accidentally

found the undulating current that I've

been looking for for the first time in

the history of the world we've sent

sound through a wire for the first time

nothing well this has happened in nearly

every electrician what you mean is it's

the first time the right man is hurted

know what it meant is that true why

certainly if you know anything about

electricity you hadn't paid any

attention to it well anyhow I was there

that's the important thing

just think we started to work on a

telegram and now we're on the trail of

the electric telephone telephone instead

it's an apparatus for transmitting the

voice

it means sound from afar gear your whole

day where you going

well going going to challenge to tell

Mabel of course

telephone

mr. bear where's miss Mable she's

upstairs sir I'll tell her you're here

oh well would you please put the gas up

in the parlour sir well I tell miss

Mable you're here

ask him hurry please it's awfully

important very good sir Alec

Maebh hi Mabel I've just discovered them

all Mabel now we can get married will

you marry me

hurry tell me yes you will

who goes that Ike oh thank you but I

never had any other intention

oh no not here

Alec don't you gotta tell me you love me

oh please I want to hear you say I love

you darling

it's a dark in here I can't see nothing

I love you again I love you don't move

don't even breathe I want to remember

this moment all alone just as it is

oh I forgot what what I came here to

tell you my telephone I've got it I've

found a way to talk through a wire how

did you heaven that's why I asked you to

marry me

you wait here I've got to tell you fun

no no no I like he's he's reading and

maybe a better wait what me you tell

your mom the girls I'll handle him

mr. Hubbard just a moment mr. bell

I always allow myself 30 minutes with

the classics every evening in the past

40 years I daresay I haven't missed

three such evenings except perhaps on my

honeymoon habit habit mr. Bell is the

important thing

setting a regular time for everything

and sticking to it

yes sir but what lesson there are young

people today or in trying to postpone to

shift dodge and put on my father always

said people were prepared to make any

effort the day after tomorrow but when

it comes to doing a thing today that's

another matter how we say go no no thank

you I just want on go and smoke it

there's nothing like a good cigar to

help settle your stomach

now mr. bell

you wanted to see me yes sir maple night

get married now

sit down mr. bell this afternoon I made

a very valuable discovery I actually

sent sound through a wire without the

use of battery so you what before Lorna

I'll be able to send speech talk from

any distance before how long I don't

know but I'm sure I'll make a telephone

Sunday telephone huh what about your

Telegraph oh I'm gonna give that up this

is much bigger and newer as my daughter

accepted you yes sir

and she loves me too mr. bell when I

married the lady you proposed to make

your mother-in-law I was owning 4,000

dollars a year in addition I had certain

prospects for my father which promised

ample security for my wife and children

may I ask what prospects you have well I

haven't any prospects unless it's the

telephone mr. bell I'd like to call your

attention to a few peculiarities which

I've observed about your character or I

know I'm not worthy ever sir in the

first place I'd say you are emotionally

unstable you jump from one enthusiasm to

another with reckless abandon to begin

with it was the multiple Telegraph that

consumed your time and energies now you

tell me you're no longer interested in

the telegraph but have gone skipping off

in pursuit of some new proposition but

mr. Hubbard mr. bell you may waste your

own time if you please but the sooner

you stop wasting my money the better I

won't give this up I can't in that case

disabuse your mind of the idea of

marrying my daughter but mr. Hubbard we

love each other

nevertheless you are not to come here

again mr. bell or even attempt to see my

daughter

not so long as you persist in this folly

by them all if you propose to give up a

possibly profitable venture for an air

castle you needn't expect any more

support for me I wash my hands of the

whole business but mr. Hubbard none 12

after 8 I should have been well past

Harvard Square by now would you like to

accompany me on my constitutional mr.

Bell the night air is very refreshing

no thank you well good night

now take this little egg i crack it I'd

drop it tenderly into the grease that

quiver isn't is still result hunger but

take this same little egg I leave it to

nestled tenderly and lovingly under its

mother's breast snug and warm soon it

becomes flesh and feathers then it too

is dropped

tenderly into the grease again it

Quivers and is still result a feast

listenmi my fine friend so I'm gonna

stand over a hot stove night after night

you can't expect me to live on half an a

God fall apart I'm sick of me I'm sick

of the very thought of you hey that's

what I think of the hours the months

we've wasted on that stupid idea you say

you're tired you're hungry or saw my I

don't look like other men just as much

as you do I want a decent bed to sleep

indeed decent food to eat but in love I

want to get married and I will and if I

ever have a child that that so much as

looks at a piece of copper wire or

mentions electricity out what about all

your work your plans it's all done how

much were you getting up there

Williams Electric Company three dollars

a day why better see if a job is still

open Lee I won't be needing you anymore

you're quitting yes I'm going back to

teaching the Deaf if I ever decide to

work on the Telegraph home do it my

spare time the telephone uh

it was just on air kiss does Mabel know

about this no I'm gonna write her now

you got any paper where do we get any

paper this'll do what's the date June 11

June 11

mother yes dear Heather I've got to see

Alan I know dear I know what you've been

through this past month no I mean now

I've got to go to him come on Mabel

to his room have you gone out of your

mother I can't help it I must see him

now today this minute oh my child what

would your father say that my eyes are

closed I'm not listening to you oh

please you got to go with me I've got to

see him but a lead you can't give up

your telephone just because father says

so that it'd be criminal I know what I

want and I've made up my mind to heaven

perhaps alec is right dear Oh mother why

do you say that you know he's not right

but after all you two love each other

isn't that enough

it is for me well that isn't to me Alec

if you give up your telephone I I

promise I'll never marry Oh may I mean

it Alec child child it's up to Jean

Mabel I'll never fail you again never Oh

you wake mm-hmm

what are you thinking about

Mabel so was that I I was thinking now I

got to make a telephone I've got to find

a receiver some way to get speech I'd

all I'll be just as badly off as I was

before she came here would it be

wonderful if we should invent the

telephone had turned out to be the very

thing that could make her hear you had

any imagination and you anything about

sound you know that can't happen how do

you know you aren't God

I know because in the human ear when

vibrations strike against the eardrum

they caused tiny bones in the back of

the head to oscillate but enables case

the nerve current and back of those

bones has been permanently injured even

if sound waves caused the bones to

oscillate cause the bones to oscillate

oscillate

oscillate

Anjali

what what what I got it I got ya what's

st. vitus day no no the ear what hear

this this here we hear it come on come

on get up

we've got to get an ear a human ear and

study it it may give us just what we

need for our receiver

you're crazy where are you gonna get a

human ear I'll sharpen my razor and you

go out never mind never mind we'll get

in here somehow

and maybe maybe this time just think out

of Mabel's deafness we make the whole

world here ya know but on here a human

ear you can't do that well use the same

principle as the ear exactly only we use

gold beater skin instead of membrane and

and a small piece of metal in front of

an electromagnet instead of the bones

and we'll use more batteries that's what

we gotta have more batteries yeah it's

gonna take a lot of money gold beater

skin batteries acids we'll get them

somehow maybe you can get another

advance for mr. Sanders no no I gotta

figure some of the way I've had three

advances from him already for less and

less work with George we could both of

us go back to work for a little while

be nice to eat again fer change too

no no that's that's not the way we've

got to find a cheaper place to live

cheaper than this certainly what I

wouldn't stay here even even if they'd

let us use the shop that it's too noisy

too dangerous there's there too many

people about we're not gonna tell

anybody what we're doing yet we'll

starve

maybe you will but me until I've made it

telephone charming place such atmosphere

boiled cabbage and flat beer I'd say oh

it's you well don't forget mister Bell

this is for lodgings only you think you

got to get any food without paying for

it you got another thing coming

understand lady we only eat at the

Parker house

you laugh $0.50 be alright

Merry Christmas sir we're Christmas

turkeys twelve and a half cents a pound

extra fine I may come back for one later

on yes right now I'll ever have fond of

cheese and two apples very good sir

sure you don't want this no if at all I

want apples and cheese cheese and app

what's the matter

I don't know everything went black in

front of me I feel so dizzy maybe I'd

better lie down for a few minutes were

you lied you haven't eaten I don't I

don't think I was hungry now you stay on

the bed I'm going out and get something

to eat

to find out back in 15 minutes you know

I got caught you see anything with an

ear on it bring it back please

ah stomachs are funny things I know I

should growl like a lion when you

neglect him fill him up again they

settle down / just like a kitten sure

nobody saw you I saw him chasing the cat

so I expect I'm saving up yeah

how that these cigars were sort of a

nice afterthought I had my heart set on

a plum pudding when I couldn't find it

we should find a well done battery with

a supposing all out of it well we can't

sit here all day let's get to work on

Christmas Eve what's the matter with

Christmas Eve

well Christmas may not mean anything to

you but it does to me I'm not moving I'm

gonna sit right here and belch till

morning whoa mr. Santa's it's only you

come be heard even insulins have every

Christmas Danny Christmas my slaves

downstairs get your coats on right away

you're spending Christmas at my place in

Salem Christmas would you that's right

we've got a long ride ahead of us so

hurry up oh but we can't I planned a lot

of work for today and I'm sorry if you

forget it it's just what I needed come

on let's go if this isn't the devil 365

days in the year and are only two square

meals come on that same day

Merry Christmas boys

Merry Christmas Merry Christmas every

boyfriend listen I thought I heard you

well there Oh Merry Christmas bye son

Merry Christmas a Merry Christmas Alec

this is mr. Watson Merry Christmas mr.

Watson and now don't bulk young man I'm

going to kiss you - sure mrs. sayers I'm

sort of a flirt myself mmm

Alec I have a surprise for you

for me

maple Malik

you couldn't come to see me

so mr. Santa's arrange the poppings

we're in church poor dear maybe there is

the Santa Clause after come in come in

everybody and get warm fine I get some

blackberry wine hey my name is Ramiro

not happy just before supper

I can't wait another minute and this

young lady came out here with our arms

loaded down with presents for everybody

especially you you shouldn't have done

there I haven't anything this year for

anybody oh it's nothing really

that let little fellow looks like George

doesn't he

can I see George Fernand yes of course

he'd be expecting you

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas

good

maybe I'm going to you're going to do

what you watch what we've been up to

ah-ah-ah

mr. Watson won't you have a cookie now

don't tell me you have a bird's appetite

yes ma'am mm-hmm vultures Lily uh take

some cookies outside to the children

what Alec you mustn't take him out there

not tonight

Oh think of his presence the tree in

Santa Claus

ah

huh

I don't understand the selling

ah

and you didn't have a Christmas present

for anyone

thanks mr. Sanders now we have acids and

batteries you want in the other room

listen while I do the talking even if it

worked you couldn't hear me after Alec

talking I'm down

ahoy mr. Watson are you there

I now have water in the transmitter cup

can you hear me can you hear me

ahoy mr. Watson can you hear me now

this is Alexander Bell speaking to you

from five Exeter place on March 10 1876

ahoy ahoy

mr. Watson

good talk mr. Bell well I heard I heard

you're born that hurry I'd learn but I

heard you your voice through the wire

riders - what you said

what a nice eh tell me yeah you said mr.

Watson come here I want you that's right

Oh huh what did you do I put two drops

of sulfuric acid in the water that made

the water a conductor for the electric

current transmitting the voice oh my leg

stop hollering you can't do something

about that burn hula I've got to tell

Mabel first oh no you don't you sit down

take your britches on I get some large

but I've got to tell Mabel I might have

known so much does it happen leaving a

lot of acids around you

ladies and gentlemen now that the

telephone that is an accomplished fact

it gives me great pleasure to to

demonstrate its practical use in in the

social and business world in a moment my

associate mr. Thomas Watson will speak

to you from the city of Boston 20 miles

away uh for thee for the benefit of the

audience

additional receivers have been placed at

strategic points throughout the hall

ahoy mr. Watson this is Alexander Graham

Bell speaking to you from Salem

can you Evan boy mr. bell

ahoy mr. Watson the audience is now

applauding you will you continue your

demonstration you're next hail Columbia

Elin hey heroes heaven-born ban who came

to town the other night to hit around

see a fighting hero Kyrgyz banjo that so

gently for me stealing spider-like meets

revealing that I dearly love the

star-spangled banner along me

Yankee Doodle came to town riding on a

pony stuck a feather in his cap and

called it sweet

now begin obtained by a fallen soul stop

it I tangel only mr. Bell I have a

special treat for you tonight there is a

lady president is going to speak you the

first woman's voice ever to be heard

publicly over the telephone see

something in here quick all I've got to

say is this

got him what right have you doing is

it's wonderful when I own an app because

I thought leaders geez he's doubting an

ally well he better not be

and that that ladies and gentlemen

concludes our demonstration scene anyone

desiring further information will kindly

step up here and and leave his name

what makes it talk father it's just a

plain hollow wire you talk it with it

one end naturally the voice comes out at

the other very amusing evening mr. bell

imagine putting one of those things in

your home and expecting your wife to use

it and would you really think there's

nothing to it

Gardiner in my opinion the telephone

will never be anything more than a toy

you would put any of your money into it

or advise your friends to do so I shall

urge all my friends they have nothing to

do with it

thanks I just wanted mr. bell to have

your opinion good night good night good

night mrs. Hubbard good night miss have

it wasn't it all right Alec well

mr. Hubbard is one of my partners will

you see that the necessary papers are

drawn up for the New England telephone

company did I understand you to say

partners mr. Bell you and mr. Sanders

put up all the money for my experiments

it's only fair that you should share in

the returns but I have no right in this

I never put any money in your telephone

the money I gave you was we are

telegraph I'm not asking you for any

money sir all you've got to do is help

me incorporate I've already talked to

the Williams company about manufacturing

our telephones Watson and I can install

them and I suppose the next thing you'll

be wanting us to wire every house and

public building in the country we might

have to do that too eventually mr. bell

tomorrow morning Sanders and I are going

to have our heads examined just for

standing here listening to such nonsense

good night

come on Sanders in the meanwhile we

better start looking over our assets it

it looks as if we're in the telephone

business now if he doesn't have apoplexy

before morning he'll come along if we

both don't have a perp Lexy

this must be pretty serious your father

calling me here I'm afraid it is

didn't need any second Oh

mr. bell come in sit down thank you sir

good evening miss summer Thank You mr.

bell I have here an itemized account of

the expenses I've incurred in connection

with your telephone during the past year

to my amazement I find that I'm involved

to the extent of seven thousand and

seventeen dollars against which has

assets I can count only 207 telephone

installations at a net rental loss of

six hundred and twenty one dollars now

what I want to know is what are you

going to do about it I have it all

figured out sir I'm going to England

England yes sir I've had a letter from

Sir William Thompson one of the greatest

scientists in England you know the man

who made the transatlantic cable

possible he says he's heard about the

telephone that there's a great deal of

interest in it over there if I go over

there he feels sure he can arrange a

demonstration before Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria yes darling

he says the Queen will install

telephones in the palace then the whole

world will follow suit just as they copy

your hats right Alec that's a splendid

idea of course they will may I ask who's

going to pay for this pilgrimage well

sir I felt that as long as you and mr.

Sanders already have so much money

involved you be worse devel I used to

call you a fool I apologize you're a

genius I'm the fool but some man you

have a blissful disregard for money that

may be an end ruble as set to a genius

but not to a business partner would her

father I'm sure we could manage somehow

did you say we Mabel Oh Mabel yes papa

I'm going with him you're what help I

can't let you go 3,000 miles away from

me Mabel father we've waited long enough

if that it goes to England I'm going

with him

you will take me with you won't you you

don't think I'd go without you do you

what darling Mabel father my eyes are

closed mr. bell will you stop this

gardener she's right

you kept these young people apart long

enough mother oh my goodness

Oh what have I said

boom tongue Alek hey darling let me do

it for you I don't know why I must be so

clumsy oh oh you're you're choking me

they'll hang it for that this is England

they hang you over here even for killing

a mere husband dear darling I think that

looks alright you know Victoria may be

queen of the British Empire an island it

anywhere else she chooses but she's also

a woman and what's more she's a widow

but a rich widow don't forget that

uh-huh

she has ladies-in-waiting - been waiting

for handsome young men like me well

Hallie guy I'm just warning you can't

even wink at her just once darling I

don't care if the Queen kisses you just

as long as she puts telephones in her

Palace perhaps she will tonight is our

night and we can be all of your x-men

ladies all the money you owe them and

Watson could even self into the count

mr. Bell can have all the time he wants

to make love to his wife

there isn't that much time oh great

heavens what what am I thinking about I

mustn't keep the Queen waiting okay

thank you dear my Alec sir William

Thompson tells us that your telephone is

a marvelous instrument mr. Bell sir

Williams is very kind your majesty

is this the device yes ma'am

there's a similar instrument Osborn

cottage where Sir Thomas bit off is

waiting to hear your Majesty's voice you

expect me to speak into that if your

majesty whistle so gracious I think you

had better speak into it after all one

does not converse with a wire Beatrice

major Phipps come closer

listen if you please ma'am we're ready

to begin

you may proceed Sir Thomas bit off that

is the Thomas's voice ask him the time

Sir Thomas Her Majesty wishes to know

the time

I think I will speak into it after all

Sir Thomas your watch is two minutes so

set it

so William you were right this is a

marvelous invention general we will have

mr. Bell's telephone installed in

Buckingham Palace yes your majesty

or it will be an honor ma'am the

Americans are a very inventive people

mr. bill was born in Edinburgh your

majesty

he went to Canada several years ago and

then to America the Scots are very

inventive too

now have it say something else mr. bell

hey maybe she likes it she wants

telephones at Buckingham Palace yes tell

him I knew she tomorrow the court

caliber carry the news on the day after

the whole world will know it's faster

will to talk to a wire I like wait a

minute

this just came tonight from father what

is it what is this yeah I read it to you

your child your mother and I hesitate to

cast a cloud on your happiness but no

longer can we hide renew the terrible

things that are going on here ever since

your marriage there's been nothing but

trouble a new telephone company known as

the American speaking telephone company

has been organized with a Western Union

company begging and has entered the

field against us with their own

instrument which they advertise as the

product of the original inventors

meaning doe bear gray and others they

boasted their telephone is infinitely

superior to Alex they've got everybody

afraid him to deal with us cancellations

are pouring in we'd hope to spare you

this at least until Alec at seeing the

Queen but there isn't but that is no

longer possible unless a miracle happens

to say this Sanders and I stand to lose

all our homes our credit everything

you're loving but sparing father what

are you going to do do I fight them of

course fight them tooth and nail with

with everything we've got

of course it will oh darling of course

superior is it

superior to mine hmm we've got home on

the first boat will show them maybe we

are poor

maybe my telephone is still crippled and

and lane maybe maybe it is still still

in want but it's part of my blood and

brains it's mine all mine and they'll

never take it away from me

it's my child did your other child like

well

just one thing after another can that

speak louder please mrs. Croll like to

speak mr. Blackford just a moment please

go ahead

clears 17

well sorry no more credit from the banks

they gave me back the telephone stock I

put up for that last loan said they

prefers my personal note the Williams

company say they can't manufacture

another telephone unless they get older

some money at the rate cancellations are

coming in we won't need him what's

worrying me is how are we gonna meet

this week's payroll I forgot to tell you

we've hired Theodore Vail as our general

manager and Francis Blake's working on a

transmitter that'll stand up well

there's anyway mr. Hubbard thinks Vail

is the best man in the country for the

job it was really your idea well I must

say you've got nerve and another thing

tomorrow we'll bring him soon against

the American speaking telephone company

charging infringement on our patents

we're going to fight a 40 million-dollar

concern the Western Union we're gonna

fight every company in the country

infringing on our patents what else can

we do but look at the odds against us

they've got the best lawyers money can

buy if we lose the court costs alone

will wipe us out well that's a chance

we'll have to take well there's an old

saying sell all you have and give to the

poor if you think it is any application

in this case I still have an old farm up

in Maine that I knew I could count on

you I was too young for the Civil War

but this looks like as good a fight as

any to me thanks Tom

we'll probably see plenty of action just

what are you going to fight with the

truth well son has always been a pretty

good weapon perhaps more people ought to

use it

proceed

Your Honor it has not been the intention

of my clients to burn this court with

wordy debates we have endeavored to

confine ourselves to the facts first

that Alexander Baer was not the first to

invent the telephone second that the

patents under which the New England Bell

Telephone Company have been operating

were fraudulently obtained and fair

we have defied the plaintiff to show

that mr. barely been working on the

undulating current feature of the

telephone prior to February 14 1876 at

which time by strange coincidence both

he and mr. gray informed the Patent

Office simultaneously of their work on

the telephone very well counsel may

proceed mr. bell what is your occupation

I'm a teacher the death are you an

American citizen yes an American citizen

by choice I see now mr. Bell have you

any proof to give us that you were

working on the underlit or a feature of

the telephone prior to February 1876

only my word and the word of my friends

not a notebook not a little scrap of

paper not even a pencil mark on a wall

nothing no sir I didn't have time to

record my findings it seems to me very

convenient you have heard of course that

not one but five other men were working

along similar lines prior to February

1876 that's what I've been told miss

courtroom oh come come mr. barrel are

you trying to impeach our witnesses have

you any proof that they were not so

engaged no sir but I repeat I was

working on my system early in 1875 and

that I first heard you sound through a

wire on June 2nd of that same year and

that on March 10th 1876 a human voice

mine was heard through a wire for the

first time in history

mr. bell I have here a certain sheets of

paper which you have identified as rough

drafts of your patents application

please correspond with your final patent

applications no see why not I wrote and

rewrote those specifications a great

many times those sheets are mere

fragmentary remains that happen to be

accidentally preserved hmm well I don't

see any mention of the undulating

current in this rough draft as you call

it those statements were added as I

completed and redraft my application mr.

bell could those specifications have

been added after you had fire your

application certainly not I mean could

you have gained illegal access to the

patents office and copied into your

application certain paragraphs from a

paper or a chariot had been filed the

same day as your patent application your

question is insulting

I refuse to hear it answer me sir did

you connive to steal the basic principle

of your telephone yes or no I have only

contempt for such a question Thank You

mr. bell hey Laura I protest against the

tactics of some of our opponents in the

name of decency and fair play I protest

against mr. bellos foul and sinew

Asian's your honor I'm sorry that my

learned colleague is so thin-skinned all

we ask of mr. bailey is that he produced

one single bit of legal proof one

memorandum one scrap of paper proving

his contentions of priority but Willy no

Kenny no and why not because your honor

he hasn't any proof non exists mr. bell

this court desires to afford you every

opportunity to establish your claims if

you have any proof I shall expect you to

have it here Monday morning until then

this Court stands adjourned

court adjourned

Kalli are you sure you have no papers no

sketches nothing nothing but I know what

are you going to do I've done all I can

do

I'm going home home you can't do that

I've heard all of this I want to hear

I'm gonna be with maple when our baby is

born but elekid may be weeks yet you

can't be certain about the first baby

I'm sorry I'm going at least let me

Telegraph and find out when you'll be

needed Alec stay if you leave now I can

promise you you'll lose mother and I

leaving immediately

don't dare leave try is that Alright yes

that's fine dear ah Oh would you send

this for me please and would you care to

add the word love madam

that'll make it exactly ten words yes

yes make it love Mable Shades of glory

is this man to be allowed to control a

great public benefaction permitted to

foist an inferior article on the public

just to gratify his egotism Your Honor I

submit that the only invention to which

our friend is undeniably entitled is the

invention of the story that he was

working on the under the torrid current

prior to Pemberley he said nice water to

God who's Noah

take your seats please maybe what are

you doing here I couldn't bear the

thought of your leaving I had to come at

a time like this it's dangerous no

darling I'm all right and Alec Alec I

thought this it might be the very

evidence you're looking for evidence

evidence yes do you remember this

it's a letter that you wrote to me in

June 1875 and now that you say in this

letter that you're going to give up your

work on a telephone let me see it

silence in the court please Lana

mrs. Bella just brought us the proof the

defense has been asking for documentary

evidence and Alexander Bell discovered

the undulating current on which his

telephone is based prior to June 1875

very well mr. Smith if you have such

evidence presented I beg your honors and

dozens for just one moment I'd rather

that letter weren't presented Alec

better something between you and me

it's part of our personal lives but

Elliot's your proof I'm sure there's

nothing in this letter be ashamed of I'd

rather not do it I regret to inform your

honor mr. Bell declines to submit the

new evidence

what did he say Alec won't let him

present the matter Alec for the first

and if I hope the only time in my life

I'm going to disobey you

it's my letter and I'm going to read it

it won't stand by and see you called a

liar and a thief fallen Alec my eyes are

closed it's dated June the 11th 1875 it

was written to me by mr. Bell before our

marriage will you read it please

I thank you but will you read it please

my dearest one I have loved you with a

passionate attachment that you cannot

understand that is to me new and

incomprehensible ever since I held you

in my arms and kissed your lips I have

known what I want most in life without

you I am nothing will you are incomplete

because this is so I have decided to

give up my telephone this is little

enough to do if it means that I will

have your arms about me forever I may

call you sweetheart

why

go on mr. bell

please don't grieve at my decision the

telephone will be born someday somehow

so far as I am concerned I do not care

one bit who gets the glory so long as

the world gets the benefit though my

heart I am yours

Thank You mr. bell Donna may I suggest

that this Court has not interested in

the sentiments

however tenderly expressed that we've

just heard what possible bearing has a

love-letter on whether barrel invented

the telephone er did not invent it the

mere mention of a telephone does not

mean that he made it telephone

sibel what kind of paper is that letter

written on why turn ordinary wrapping

paper what is that on the back of it

weights drawings if apparatus mr. Bell

wanted for his telephone together with a

stamped acknowledgment from the Williams

Electric Company acknowledging receipt

of the order On June 30 1875 what is

that writing mr. Wiggins scribbled a

note at the bottom the page asking mr.

bill to stop in and verify his outline

of an apparatus to generate an

undulating current it is all you may

step down

just a moment mrs. Bell will you please

tell us why mr. Bell sensual love letter

on the back of a sales memoranda why

didn't he use note paper as any young

man in love would be expected to do mr.

Bell was very poor man he had no other

paper I wish to write thank you mrs.

Bell you may step down

I offer this letter in evidence as

Exhibit 17 to the plaintiff Your Honor

I'm sure we've all been touched by this

little excursion into romance but now if

we may compose ourselves I'd like to ask

why if such a letter existed it wasn't

produced days ago and more particularly

why my learned colleague hasn't produced

the man Williams in court to

substantiate his signature unfortunately

mr. Williams is no longer available as a

witness oh really

and why not surely it would be worth

your while to bring mr. Williams here

let us have a look at mr. Williams is

dead oh he's dead how very unfortunate

mr. bell now very convenient

your honor without my knowledge and

against my wishes my wife came into this

courtroom at a time like this to read to

you a letter intended for her eyes alone

have I committed some offense by

starving in an attic by spending

sleepless nights at my work by being too

poor to own a decent scrap of paper on

which to tell her of my love I have sat

here for days and heard myself called

liar thief fraud and cheat I've seen my

friends humiliated my invention

belittled just as I have seen my

business destroyed by methods which must

leave every honest man appalled Your

Honor we protest against this

interruption yes you happen we had

enough of this sentimental nonsense I

demand that this man be declared in

contempt of court mr. barrows we're all

here in the interest of truth and I

don't think mr. Beldon do that any great

injury sit down mr. barrows

gentlemen I am no longer fighting the

Battle of Alexander Graham Bell inventor

of the telephone that man however

justice soon does not matter here the

issue is bigger bigger than the millions

involved and there are millions at stake

is your guilty cheeks already tell me

Your Honor we must protest protest all

you like gentlemen I mean to say what I

have to say the time is coming when the

telephone will be known in every home in

the land in every shop and Factory and

Beyond the seeds even to the remotest

ends of the earth but that too is not

the issue the issue is simply this shall

the lonely scientist the man who dreams

and out of his dreams benefits the world

is he that often half starved

lonely little man to be told the world

has no need of him the moment his work

is done your is he to be told in others

less gifted but stronger men with money

and power behind them are waiting to

take the product of his genius and turn

it to their own uses leaving him with

liar and thief branded on his brows is

only reward do that and you stop the

clock of progress you smother the spark

of genius that lies have you here and

there throughout the world do that and

the world stand still Your Honor I

demand that this man be cited in

Connecticut

this case is under advisement hey are

you alright

colic we must get her out of here

quickly get on it get an ambulance quick

ambulance isn't one within 20 blocks of

here they got a telephone though if you

know how to use it telephone holder

mother

show me where this quiz with Watson come

here I want you go get an admins quick

ahoy ahoy this is Alexander Graham Bell

speaking I want an ambulance hurry

Watson this fool thing will never work

Oh a heart

yes she is jenny has a picture look I

think she knows me I'm sure she does

dear would you like to hold it

who me oh you you know how clumsy I yes

I would

there you had Alan be careful of her

back

you know you haven't told me a word

about the trial since I came home well I

still have it under advisement which

probably means we've lost

palek would you mind so terribly one

can't work and struggle and not care

when it all goes for nothing

especially when there others involved

your father mr. Sanders Watson but

you know I've been thinking about

something else Alec Mabel

your father mr. Sanderson mr. Watson are

here and someone else

Eddie come in why of course my MA your

darling hunting her how's my little girl

Alec you know mr. Pollard I'm the

president of the Western Union how do

you do my wife and my daughter mrs. Bell

we must apologize for coming here like

this but your father insisted go ahead

break it to them well mr. Bell the

Western Union is ready to admit that you

when you alone invented the telephone

what we will retire from the field and

turn over to you the 56,000 telephones

we now have in operation Alec the fact

is we made the mistake of accepting a

false report from one of our engineers

after your wife read your letter in

court we made a further investigation we

found that this man braze will not only

intended to deny your rights but to

injure us as well mr. Bell were not only

willing but anxious to pay for that

mistake of course if you consider us as

partners we could offer our wires rights

away improvements and other assets you

could lure shall we say one-fifth

interest well I don't know what to say I

ought to warn you you have probably the

most valuable single patent ever issued

your stock we're selling in the New York

exchange this morning for a thousand

dollars a share thousand ah well what do

you say Alec well I'll have to ask my

wife Alec you know I never interfere

with your business gentlemen I accept

Thank You mr. bell yeah it's exactly 11

and a half minutes past 11:00 time for

this young lady's lunch goodbye my dear

come gentlemen it's been a pleasure mrs.

Bennett goodbye mrs. Bell goodbye Alec

Alec aren't you happy everything you've

wanted and worked for and everything the

world has to offer you yes darling

what I want I wanted to tell you I've

been thinking about something else

yes the other day I saw seagull flying

and there were there was something about

about the curve of its wings it just

occurred to me that if a bird that's

heavier than air can fly a man might fly

too

what did you say if a bird that's

heavier than air can fly a man might fly

too

a man fly yes

why are you going to start work on him

mr. bell