Father Knows Best (1954–1960): Season 4, Episode 33 - Betty Finds a Cause - full transcript

After attending a lecture at school, Betty is enthused about making a difference in the world. Betty's decides to help the neighborhood by getting one neighbor to cut a hedge that is a blind spot and causes accidents.

Here are...

with Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray,

and Lauren Chapin in...

Hello, dear.

Mother, have you ever
heard of Molly Danfield?

Well, the name sounds familiar.

She's the most
magnificent woman.

She was over at
the college today.

Gave an illustrated talk
to the whole student body.

She's a frontier nurse.

That must have been interesting.



Yeah, she worked
in a mission school

in the interior of Brazil,

hundreds of miles
from civilization.

No, thanks.

What an inspiration.

Her life so far above the
petty, meaningless routine

that most of us follow.

When I think of how
I squander my life...

Useless, infantile pastime.

Hey, when you see
Betty, would you tell her...

Well, have you been
here all the time?

I've been here a
couple of minutes. Why?

Well, I've been in
there on the phone

taking your messages.



It practically broke my
arm writing stuff down.

Fractured my ear listening
to your friend Dotty.

She gave me a
list a mile long...

Stuff I'm supposed to tell you.

All about the party at
her house Saturday night.

It's going to be
simply adorable.

Well, actually, she could
have saved you all that trouble

because I'm not
going to her silly party.

As a matter of fact,

I may never go to
another gathering

of chattering, useless
females as long as I live.

- What's with her?
- Oh, you heard what she said.

She's not going to
any more parties.

Betty? Are you kidding?

When she stops
flitting around at parties,

you want to run for the hills

because it's the
end of the world.

Oh, Bud!

- Oh, Bud.
- Sorry.

Oh!

Oh!

Margaret, I'm home.

I'm in the kitchen, dear.

- Hi, Daddy.
- Hello, kitten.

How are things in
your world today?

Any interesting news?

Well, there's some
news about Betty.

Oh?

She says she isn't
going to any more parties.

You don't say.

Hello, dear.

Hello, honey.

Kathy just told me a
surprising bit of news.

She said Betty wasn't
going to any more parties.

That's what she said.

Molly Danfield,

the nurse who's done
such wonderful work

in South America,

gave a talk at
the college today.

Betty came home
glowing with inspiration.

Well, good.

She'll probably
tell you all about it.

Yeah.

Boy. Did I have a close one.

What?

I was coming
back from the store.

I was coming this way on Maple.

When I got to the
corner of 4th and Maple,

I took it real easy because
that's a mean corner.

The one with the high hedge

that blocks the view of traffic.

You can't see another car coming

till he's right on top of you.

Anyway, I thought
the coast was clear,

and then, all of a sudden,

whoom, here
comes this big truck.

He'd locked his brakes, skidded.

Well, lucky I was going slow,
or he would have had me.

That's the corner where
old Mr. Emery lives.

Why don't they make
him cut that hedge down?

That isn't as easy as it sounds.

Safety groups in town have
been after him for a year

to get that hedge out of there.

I know how to
get it out of there.

I'll go down there some
night with our hedge clippers.

Get yourself tossed
right in the pokey, too.

Well, I think it's disgraceful.

A man with no more
consideration for other people.

Kathy, come and
help me set the table.

Don't get sore at
me. It's not my hedge.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean
it to sound that way.

I could just see Mom
crawling into Emery's yard

at night with the
hedge clippers.

Women are funny, aren't they?

An idea hits them
just a certain way,

they get all steamed up.

Like Molly Danfield II here.

She's given up
the frivolous life,

leaving behind the
gay, mad whirl of parties.

She's going to dedicate
herself to higher things,

like painting flagpoles

and shoveling snow
off mountaintops.

Well, at least I'm above
and slurs and jibes

of an empty-headed buffoon.

Flattery will get you nowhere.

Well, now that you
and your brother

have exchanged
your usual courtesies,

I hear that Molly Danfield

gave an impressive
talk at college today.

It was simply
magnificent, Father.

It made me realize
how important it is

for a person to have a purpose,

a reason for living.

Do you know what
Molly Danfield did?

No, I can't say that I do.

She was a nurse in the jungle.

Uh, it was South
America, wasn't it?

In Brazil, way in
the back country.

She had her headquarters
in this little village.

She taught the people,
she cared for them.

She fought for them.

See, there was this huge
plantation next to the village

with a swamp on part of it.

She knew that the
mosquitoes from the swamp

were bringing the
fever to her people,

so what did she do?

Single-handedly,

she campaigned against
the plantation owner

and forced him to
drain that swamp.

She saved hundreds of lives.

Must be quite a person.

She spent her
whole life, practically,

doing things like this.

Big, real, worthwhile things.

Boy, when I think of what
I've done with my life so far,

I get sick.

Oh, I wouldn't say

your life has been a total loss.

That's exactly what it's been.

Not one person in this
world is one bit better off

for my having been
here these 19 years.

Well, I think your
mother and I are better off

for your having been here.

Well, that's questionable.

But what I meant

was that I haven't contributed
anything to the world.

Not one solitary thing.

Well, you haven't had the time.

You've been going to
school, getting an education.

That in itself is
a contribution.

Going to school a contribution?

Oh, Father, I want to do
something for mankind.

I want to do something
real and important.

I want a cause,
something I can fight for.

Well, let's see.

That's just the trouble.
I can't think of a cause.

Oh, living here in Springfield,

we're so far away
from everything.

Oh, I mean far away from places

where a person might be needed.

Well, I'll have to admit

we don't have any swamps
to drain in Springfield,

but that doesn't mean
there's nothing to be done.

A lot of guys at school

have had narrow escapes
there at 4th and Maple.

One of these days,

there's going to be an
accident on that corner

because of that hedge.

Then Mr. Emery will be sorry.

Old Man Emery sorry? Ha!

You know, I think he put
those hedges there on purpose.

I'll bet he just
sits in his house

waiting for that delightful
screech of brakes

and that... that heartwarming
crunch of fenders.

He hears two cars coming
and rubs his hands together

and says "Oh, boy, this
is going to be a good one."

something I'm doing

has some meaning to humanity.

I can understand that.

I want something big
that I can throw myself into.

How about Lake Michigan?

Sometimes the
temptation to clout you one

- is almost overpowering.
- Ah. Careful.

Women who are dedicated
to great humanitarian causes

don't go around
slugging their brothers.

Uh, if you're looking for
something to do for humanity,

why don't you
start close to home?

You ought to work on
Mr. Emery to take out that hedge.

Oh, Mother.

What's wrong with that?
That's a good suggestion.

Oh, I can picture myself
meeting Molly Danfield,

who saved a thousand lives,

and she says "and
what have you done

to justify your
existence, Betty?"

And I say "Oh, I
got rid of a hedge."

Well, what did
Molly Danfield do?

She just got rid of a swamp.

Bud was almost hit

at the corner of 4th
and Maple yesterday.

I've had a couple of close ones

at that corner myself.

You can't see a thing
on account of that hedge.

My brilliant family
suggested I make a project

out of getting Mr. Emery
to take the hedge out.

Are you going to do it?

Why should I do it?

If the hedge is dangerous,

the police should
make him take it out.

From what I understand,

the police can't do
anything about it.

Well, that's not my worry.

I'm not in the hedge
clearing business.

It's really a blind corner.

Why would anyone
want a wall of shrubbery

like that around his house?

Search me. It cuts off
the view from both streets.

It's like going into
an intersection

with your eyes shut.

Those cars are
going to hit! Look out!

Like I was saying,
it's a blind intersection.

People in those cars
could have been killed.

Somebody's going
to get it on this corner.

It's just a matter of time.

Unless someone makes Mr. Emery

cut down that awful
wall of shrubbery.

What... What kind
of a man must he be,

knowing he's
endangering people's lives?

Well, it gives you a
good idea of his taste.

He obviously likes
bushes better than people.

Look, somebody just came
out of the Emerys' front gate.

Let's, uh, pull across
the intersection.

I want to talk to that lady.

Oh, now, look, Betty,

don't try to be
another Molly Danfield.

Leave the hedge problem
to somebody who knows...

Everybody leaves things
for somebody else to do.

Now I'm going to
be different for once.

Will you drive me over
there or shall I walk?

Okay, Molly.

Uh, beg your pardon.
Are you Mrs. Emery?

No, I'm Nettie Duggan, Miss.

There's no Mrs. Emery,
and there never was.

I'm the housekeeper.

Well, I'd like to talk to
Mr. Emery about, uh...

Cutting down the hedge?

Well...

There's no need to
waste your time, Miss.

Folks are coming here every day

pleading with him to get
rid of this mess of brambles.

He won't do it.

Well, it's time Mr. Emery
started thinking

about the people who have
to drive on these streets.

You're going to tell Mr. Emery
what he should think?

You don't know him, my girl.

He don't think of nobody.

He don't care for nobody.

He wants to let
alone and be let alone.

Mrs. Duggan!

Come in here!

There's the sweet voice

of dear, lovable Mr. Emery.

25 years I've worked for him,

and he still calls
me Mrs. Duggan.

If he speaks to me at all.

Mrs. Duggan!

Oh, be quiet, you old goat.

Do you still want to
talk to him, dearie?

Will you tell Mr. Emery

that I'll call on him
this evening at 8:00?

Sure. I'll tell him.

But you're wasting your time.

Ain't a civil word
come out of that man

since I've known him.

Mrs. Duggan!

Oh, all right.

I'll tell him you'll
be here at 8.

This will give you some idea

of the friendly reception
you're going to get here.

You've made a brave
start, I'll say that for you.

Say, Dad, is Betty home yet?

Not yet. Why?

You better have a talk with her.

What's your complaint?

Well, she's gotten
so darn stuck up.

Kippy said he passed
her on the street,

and she didn't even look at him.

Well, having looked at
Kippy a few times myself,

I can't say that I blame her.

You know as well as I do
that Betty's not stuck up.

Right at the
moment, she's, uh...

- Hello, Betty.
- Hi, princess.

Hello.

I've decided you were right.

I'm taking up a cause
which is right at hand...

The utter disregard
of Rufus B. Emery

for the lives of
his fellow citizens.

That horrible hedge of his
on the corner of 4th and Maple

has got to go.

- Hear, hear!
- Bravo. Good girl.

Just one insignificant
little question.

What if Mr. Emery says
his hedge has not got to go?

Well, if he wants
to make a fight of it,

then I'm ready.

I'm meeting him at his
house tonight at 8:00.

Give that girl a
flag and a sword.

This is war!

Do you think we ought to
let her go over there alone?

Oh, sure. She'll be all
right. I know old Rufe Emery.

I don't know why we're
worried about Betty.

We should be worried
about Old Man Emery.

Poor guy with a tiger
like that after him.

Meow.

Bud, take this with...

- Ahem.
- Jim.

Mrs. Duggan.

You don't have to holler

every time a bell
rings in this house.

I've got ears, too, you know.

Yes?

Oh, it's the young lady.

Come in, Miss.

The Anderson girl is here.

What does she want?

She wants to talk to
you about your hedge.

I don't care to talk about it.

Well, she's here.

And you can just sit
up and talk to her civil.

Why is she huddled over
there like a scared rabbit?

I'm not huddling, Mr. Emery,

and you may as well
understand right now

that I'm not afraid of you.

Mm, that's telling him, tootsie.

Get.

I didn't invite you
here, young lady,

so speak your piece
and be on your way.

May I sit down?

You'll just have
to get up again.

Mr. Emery, your...

Your courtesy is
truly microscopic.

But it... it doesn't matter

because I didn't come
here on a social call.

I'm here representing
the feelings

of the people in
this neighborhood

who want you to
take down that hedge.

It's a menace to the lives

of the people who
use these streets,

and you should be
ashamed to leave it standing,

knowing how dangerous it is.

You know, I'm
not ashamed at all.

That hedge was here
long before you were born

and long before most
of the folks were born

who's been racing their cars
up and down these streets

at speeds fit to kill.

How long it's been
here doesn't matter.

It does for me. That
hedge and I were here first.

Maple Street was
just a country road

and 4th Street a cow path

when I set that hedge out.

I didn't invite this
hodgepodge mess of people

to move in around here.

I didn't ask them
to pave the streets

and bring in their cars.

That's progress.

Progress, my foot.

Clutter, that's what it
is. Mess and clutter.

That hedge is my wall.

It keeps out the
people and the noises.

And the thicker and
the taller it grows,

the better I like it.

Well, Mr. Emery,

you can't defy the
will of the people.

The people be hanged.

I wouldn't cut one
twig off that hedge

to please all the
people in the county.

Oh!

Do you know what you are?

You're a blot on the community.

You bet I am,
and I'm proud of it.

I know that I should
respect an older person,

but you're an exception.

If you were 30 years
younger and I was a man,

I'd punch you right in the nose!

If you enjoy being
hated by everyone,

you must have a
happy, happy life.

Oh, now, Betty.

You can't expect to
accomplish a miracle.

He made me so mad,

I couldn't think or
make sense, even!

Why are you crying?
You haven't failed.

Haven't failed?

I'd like to know
what you'd call it.

All I did was scream at
him like a furious child!

I accomplished
absolutely nothing!

What your father means
is the matter isn't closed.

Try again.

Sure. Rome
wasn't built in a day.

Take Molly Danfield.

I'll bet you dollars
to doughnuts

she didn't sell that
plantation owner

on the swamp draining
idea in one conversation.

You have to keep hammering
away at these things.

What's the point
of getting back there

and getting mad at
him all over again?

You said yourself

everyone in town has...

Has tried to get him
to take that hedge out.

What... What can I do?

Maybe you used
the wrong approach.

Maybe we've all used the
wrong approach on Emery.

Everybody jumps on the old guy.

Accuses him of being a
menace to the community.

Maybe it's time somebody
used a little diplomacy.

You know, you can't
sell a person on an idea

by hitting him on the head.

I know, I know.

What happened, killer?
Did you get kicked out?

Practically.

But you're right.

I'm going to go back
and see Mr. Emery

tomorrow afternoon after school.

And I'm going back the next day

and the next day.

I'm going to wheedle and heckle

and hound that terrible
man until he gives in.

I'll win if I have to
just plain outlive him.

Now think of it from a business
point of view, Mr. Emery.

If you take out
that ugly old hedge,

your property will
be worth a lot more.

- A lot more what?
- More money.

What do I care if it's
worth more money?

I'm not going to sell it.

Be the best thing ever
happened if you did.

Get you out of this rabbit hole.

Breathe some fresh air.

Let the sun shine
on your ornery head.

Get.

Get!

Well, you could get a
good price for this corner.

You could travel, see the world.

I've seen the world.

That's why I like my own yard.

All right, have your yard,

but take down
the wall around it.

Why do you hide
behind that hedge?

Are people that
obnoxious to you?

That's the word for it.

Thieving, grabbing people.

Lying and cheating.

"I'll get mine.
Too bad for you."

Oh, I know about people.

Going to buy some
fertilizer for that hedge.

Make it grow taller.

Mr. Emery, if you think
that by making me mad

you're going to make
me give up, you're wrong.

I'll be back tomorrow.

4:00.

Well, you're persistent.
I'll say that for you.

I told you I wasn't
going to give up.

Persistent and punctual.

Well, what's your plan
of attack for today?

You tried flattery. You
appealed to my greed.

Neither of them worked.

What's next?

Well, maybe I'll appeal

to your sense of common decency.

You must have a shred
of that left somewhere.

If I have, I haven't
used it in so long,

it wouldn't be worth working on.

You know, I think
you like to be mean.

I really think you enjoy being
stubborn and cantankerous.

Oh, I do.

It's one of the few
pleasures remaining

to a man of my age.

Mr. Emery, I have
never met anyone

who could be so infuriating.

Oh, thank you.

What makes you the way you are.

I'd like to know.

What makes you the way you are?

Why are you so all-fired up
about cutting down my hedge?

Don't mean anything to you.

It certainly does
mean something to me.

I vowed that I was going
to do something worthwhile.

Not for money or for praise...

but just because I felt
everyone should have a cause,

something they...
They know is right

that... that they can fight for.

You're putting on
this act pretty good.

It's not an act.

And don't stare at
me like I was a big fool.

It all sounds ridiculous to you

because... because you can
think of no one but yourself.

You're a selfish, hateful man!

You ought to be horsewhipped,

the way you treat that girl.

She spoke her mind to me,

and I spoke my mind to her.

She'll be back tomorrow at 4:00.

Well, you're home early.

Yeah. I came straight
home from school.

You didn't stop
to see Mr. Emery?

No, no. There's no point in it.

It takes a lot of hammering
to get anything into my head,

but eventually I learn.

All this high-flown stuff
about having a cause,

fighting for justice.

Oh, it's great for people

like Molly Danfield
to talk about.

But it doesn't work when
you come right down to it.

I'm sorry to hear this, Betty,
because you're so wrong.

Like Mr. Emery says,

people are all
selfish and grasping.

There's no such thing

as genuine love
for one's fellow man.

I had a feeling she
wouldn't come back.

And I was so sure
that she would.

If only you could have had
a granddaughter just like her.

Get.

Get.

No, Mother, it's not a
matter of being disillusioned.

Just call it a step
in growing up,

a part of the process of
becoming sadder and wiser.

Well, disillusionment

is not necessarily
a part of growing up.

Betty,

you know,

I'm sorry you started
this thing with Rufe Emery.

It's all my fault, I...

- I was the one...
- I'll get it.

I knew old Rufe was
stubborn and grouchy.

But I had no idea

any of his miserable
philosophy...

Betty, it's for you.

Oh. Excuse me.

Mr. Emery.

I want you to know, girl,

this is the first time I've been
out of my yard in nine years,

and it's all your doing.

Well, nobody asked you to.

Why didn't you come by
the house this afternoon?

Did you lose your courage?

Courage has
nothing to do with it.

No? How about that
cause you were fighting for?

That was just a childish dream.

You've convinced me of that.

I convinced you?

Barley water.

When you know you're right,

don't you ever let anybody
convince you you're not.

Not even a selfish,
hateful old fool like me.

There are too few
people in this world

willing to stand up and
fight for what's right.

All too few.

Before I'd see you
lose that childish dream,

I'd... I'd cut down my hedge.

Thank you, Mr. Emery.

Well, you better
get busy, champ.

Came by the corner of 4th
and Maple this afternoon,

and Old Stone Heart
Emery's hedge is still there.

But not for long, son.

Your sister has
sounded the trumpet,

and the Walls of
Jericho are coming down.

- Three cheers for Mr. Emery!
- Good for you, Rufe!

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