The Waltons (1971–1981): Season 5, Episode 15 - The Ferris Wheel - full transcript

Elizabeth. Where's Elizabeth?

John!

Let me off! I'm gonna fall!

I'm gonna fall!

Most of our memories

of growing up on Walton's
Mountain are good ones,

but there did come a time

when a dark remembrance
from Elizabeth's childhood

rose to haunt
everybody in our house.

Please, someone, let me down!

Come on, somebody, let me down!



I'm gonna fall!

Somebody, let me off!

Somebody! Somebody,
let me get off!

Mama!

Oh, Elizabeth!

Who is it? Elizabeth.
Is she all right?

She scared me to death!

- Are you okay?
- It's all right. It's all right.

Shh. It's all right.
Are you all right?

What's going on up there?

Pa, it's Elizabeth.
She's had a dream.

Sounded like Gabriel
blowing his trumpet.

It's the second time this week.

Something's
working on that child.



Come on, now. She's all right.

Gently. Come on. Stand up.

Let me down. Are you all
right? Does it hurt, honey?

It's all right, baby. Come on.

Come on, back to bed,
everybody. Come on.

It's all right,
baby. It's all right.

I couldn't get off.

Dreaming about that
Ferris wheel again.

And then it started
going faster.

And I started to fall.

Well, you're safe now.

It's all right.

Can you leave the lights on?

I'm, I'm gonna stay right
here with you till you're asleep.

You don't have to do that, Mama.

Elizabeth, you can
sleep with me if you want.

Hmm?

Thanks, Erin.

Here you go.

I'm gonna sit here for a while.

It's all right.

Sure?

Yeah.

I'm gonna leave
that light on, all right?

Oh, it's all right, sweetheart.

All right?

Good night, Erin.

Good night, Mama.

I'm gonna leave
the door wide open

and I'm gonna leave
the hall light on, okay?

Good night. Good night.

It's the same dream
she had last time,

about being on a Ferris wheel

and not being able to get off.

It's probably the excitement about
the carnival coming. It could be that.

It's hard to tell what a
dream like that could mean.

It's that sleepwalking
that worries me.

Well, is she settled down now?

She's in Erin's bed. I
think she'll sleep through.

Good night, Son.

We'll leave the door
open just in case.

All right.

Good night, Mama.

Somebody! Somebody, let me down!

Is my lunch ready yet?

No, and neither is Jason's,

so you might as well
have something to eat.

Did you know I once had a dream

that a Martian came out from
under the Rockfish bridge?

He had big hairy ears and
yellow eyes just like a dragonfly.

Is your dream as scary as that?

Jim-Bob, if you
talk about dreams,

you can walk to
school by yourself.

I don't know what she's
so grouchy about, anyway.

I don't think we should
keep reminding her

of something
she'd rather forget.

Well, unless that dream
has some meaning for her.

I'd a whole lot rather we
didn't talk about it at all.

Well, she has no control of it.

It comes from her
unconscious mind.

John-Boy, what are
you talking about?

Well, there's two
kinds of mind, Mama.

There's the unconscious
mind and the conscious mind.

Now, the unconscious
mind is always

storing up things
we're not even aware of.

Things that we, uh, we'd like
to forget or we'd like to hide

and a dream can be a sort of a code
message from the unconscious mind.

Oh.

Nice tie, Ben.

It's yours, you know.

Yeah, I know it's mine.

Looks good, doesn't it?

Yeah, looks pretty good.

I can use it, can't I?

Well, of course you can.

Hey, wait a minute.

How come you're all gussied up?

Oh, I'm just going to
the Jarvis Used Car Lot

to take care of some
ads after school today.

Seems to me that ever since Darlene
Jarvis went to work for her daddy,

you've been giving
them extra-good service.

I give good service
to all my customers.

Ben, would you reach me
down that jar of peanut butter.

Sure.

Good morning.

About time, Jason.

I'd have been ready sooner

if Ben hadn't decided
to shave this morning.

Shave this morning?

Yeah, you ought to
smell his shaving lotion.

You can smell it
from here to Rockfish.

Thank you, Jason.

Uh, Mama, I won't be
home for supper tonight.

I have to play at
the Dew Drop Inn.

Got anything I can eat in
the car on the way to school?

You can take
some toast with you.

Elizabeth! Elizabeth!

Hey.

I know. You're
here about the ad.

That's right.

Uh, saved a space on page three.

Think your daddy will
go for two columns?

I think he will.

Good.

Uh, here's the prices.

Hey, that's a good
price on that Model A.

Maybe you should
lead off with that one.

But the LaSalle's
got more style.

It's practically brand new
and it goes 75 miles an hour.

Yeah, I realize that,

but people these days would
rather go for the bargain.

Oh. Well, you
know more about it.

You do what you think best.

Okay.

I got a job in Charlottesville.

Ah, I heard the
carnival was coming.

I persuaded the carnival
owner to let The Chronicle office

handle all his
advance publicity.

I was wondering if you'd just
leave these handbills around

so your customers
can get the message.

Oh. Always an eye
for business, huh?

You got to when
you're getting started.

I suppose you'll be
going to the carnival?

Oh, I hadn't really
thought about it.

I got a couple of free
passes from the manager.

Hi, shorty!

Are you going to send us
some more customers this week?

Darlene, get me the specifications
on that Studebaker coupe, will you?

Sure.

See you later.

Oh, bye.

What's that stuff?

It's my invention.

You invented the trash dump?

Well, it's not put together yet.

It's going to be an alarm.

What kind of an alarm?

It's gonna wake up Elizabeth

in case she walks
in her sleep again.

Jim-Bob, you and your
Rube Goldberg contraptions!

You just wait
and see. It'll work.

What are you staring at?

Oh, I was just noticing.

You look sort of like a turtle.

Oh, don't do that.

Oh, the bed broke,
Jim-Bob, the bed.

It worked! Hey,
everybody, it worked!

Is this your idea, Jim-Bob?

Elizabeth. Where's Elizabeth?

Jim-Bob, do you mind taking
this junk out in two trips?

Oh, I thought about it,
but I decided against it.

What is all the racket?

Elizabeth on the prowl again?

No, that was James-Robert Edison

taking out one of
his great inventions.

Oh.

Your grandma and I kind
of over-slept this morning.

Been too much night
life going on around here.

Grandpa, you sure
these marks are right?

Oh. Your growing-up marks there?

Hmm.

You questioning this old
carpenter's ability with a yardstick?

No. Just seems like everybody's
growing around here except for me.

I wouldn't say that.

Here, you were
down there one day.

You're way down here.

From the time of your
young un's first birthdays,

I would put a mark down there.

There you are, 1929.

I guarantee those heights are
right within sixteenth of an inch.

Well, in that case, I've got
a lot of catching up to do.

Oh, you'll get there one day.

Yeah, but that doesn't
help me much now.

Oh. If you think you're bad off,

just think about Long
John Cavanaugh.

He was so tall that his feet
stuck out over the edge of the bed,

out under the covers.

He got cold,
pneumonia, did him in.

And that poor
fellow was so tall,

they had to bury him
in a well, standing up,

'cause no coffin would fit him.

Don't you fret, son.

A short man who thinks
tall stands taller in the saddle

than a tall man
who thinks short.

Esther, breakfast.

I don't like to discourage
good customers

from making purchases,

but do you really think
you need all of these locks?

We are having them installed

on all our outside
doors immediately.

You see, that carnival
will be here this weekend.

Well, Mr. Dawes assures me

that all of his employees
are absolutely reliable.

Well, that's what
they led us to believe

the last time the
carnival was here,

and our very own
home was broken into.

And Mama's diamond
necklace and matching tiara

were mysteriously removed.

Never to be seen again.

And Papa had presented them
to Mama on their wedding day.

I had planned to wear them whenever Ashley
Longworth made a proposal of marriage.

He was a young
student, don't you know,

from the University of
Virginia and he used to...

Are you absolutely certain that it
was an employee of the carnival

who broke into your house?

- Oh, quite.
- Certain.

Why, the sheriff was about to
question one of the carnival workers,

and then the poor man lost his
life in some unfortunate accident.

But this time we are
going to make certain that

all our treasures are under lock and key.
- And key.

Including ourselves.

Oh, most assuredly.

All right. Thank
you, Mr. Godsey.

You're welcome. Goodbye.

Goodbye, John-Boy. Goodbye.

Bye, ladies.

John-Boy says the Baldwin sisters
have locked up everything in sight

and are not coming out of the
house till that carnival goes away.

I'll never forget the day the
Baldwin ladies were robbed.

Oh, what a dad-doo.

I remember it, too, but
for a different reason.

That was the day Elizabeth
wandered off and was gone all morning.

We found her down by the river.

Never could tell us
just what happened.

Elizabeth,

do you remember when the
carnival was here the last time?

Some. I was real little.

Yeah, I know.

I remember you
got lost one morning.

Did you go to the
carnival that day?

I don't know.

Daddy says I went to the river.

Well, I know what Daddy said.

I, uh... I was just wondering
if you knew what happened.

I don't know.

I don't want to think about it.

Well, it just seems
kinda strange to me

that you could end up down by
the river all by yourself, that's all.

I don't know!

Did you go to the carnival
first that day or what?

John-Boy, Elizabeth,
come to supper.

John-Boy, I don't want
to talk about it anymore.

Talk about what?

Well, I was just asking
her what she remembered

about the last time the
carnival was here, that's all.

I didn't mean to
upset you, honey.

Well, from now on, I think the
less we talk about it the better.

Is The March of Time on tonight?

No. Edgar Bergen
and Charlie McCarthy.

Would you look at this?

Smack dab in the middle
of my article on Dizzy Dean.

Who'd do something like this?

Hey, it's looking good.

Yeah. Thought I'd put another
coat on and let it dry overnight.

Good. Good idea.

Here's that article of yours
that you were looking for.

Old Dizz.

He can pitch words better
than he can baseballs.

He sure can.

I was thinking
about getting those.

Elevator shoes?

"Now you can be
taller than she is"?

Well, it sounds funnier
than it is, but I'm just...

I'm just plain tired
of being called shorty.

Waiting for myself to grow.

Aren't you getting
ahead of yourself, Son?

Yeah, I know. I'm
just a growing boy.

It takes some people longer
than others to get their full growth.

Yeah, but what do I
do in the meantime?

Just be yourself.

Think about what's
going on inside.

Yeah, but it's the outside
that everyone sees.

John! Elizabeth's
out of her bed!

She's not upstairs!

- We'll find her.
- Is it Elizabeth?

Yes! Now, Liv,
check the kitchen.

Elizabeth!

What's all the racket
for? It's Elizabeth again.

Oh, gracious!

The front door is open!

Esther, she's gone again.

I can see him.

John!

Somebody, help me!

Get below her, John-Boy!

Let me off!

I'm gonna fall. Let me off.

I can see him.
He won't let me off.

Let me off!

I'm gonna fall! I'm gonna fall!

Help me!

It's all right,
baby. It's all right.

It's all right.

A fine state of affairs,

you having to make
your own coffee.

I was hoping you
could sleep late.

I couldn't. Every time
Elizabeth stirred next to me,

I'd wake up.

I guess that old sofa isn't too
comfortable for sleeping on.

Little lumpy in spots.

How's Elizabeth?
Any more bad dreams?

No, she didn't have any more bad
dreams, but she sure was restless.

I can't figure how
she got up in that tree.

Well, sleepwalkers have been known
to do some amazing things, Daddy.

Rearrange the furniture or
climbing around on rooftops.

What are we going to do about
it? She can't stay in our bed forever.

I wonder why she's
walking in her sleep.

It's got to be
something she's afraid of

and she doesn't know what it is.

Well, last night up
in the tree house,

she kept saying, "I
see him. I see him."

I'd like to find out who he is.

Now, John-Boy, I don't want
you to go upsetting her again.

I think she went to the carnival

that morning that she got lost.

I got to figure out something to
keep her from breaking her neck.

There's no swelling, no fever.

Heart is fine, chest clear.

She's a healthy little girl.

Too healthy not to be in school.

It wasn't my idea.

And Mrs. Fordwick was
having a nature walk today.

We wanted Curt to
have a look at you.

I am still your favorite
brother-in-law, I hope.

Not when you have that
doctor thing around your neck.

Well, count your
blessings, Elizabeth.

The only time I ever got
to stay home from school,

I was too sick to enjoy it.

Can I get down now? Sure.

Mary Ellen, can you show
me how to make a splint?

Sure. You can practice on
Reckless like I used to do.

I can't find any physical reasons
that would explain her nightmares,

but I sure wouldn't
worry about her health.

You would if you'd seen her
teetering on the edge of that tree house.

Well, you see, there may be

another cause for
the sleepwalking.

Perhaps something,
uh, worrying her?

School work, a friend,
something like that?

Well, it's nothing
that I know of.

Some sort of a
frightening memory?

Well, John-Boy keeps
talking about something

that's hidden in
the back of her mind

that's trying to
find its way out.

Yeah. He could be
right. He could be right.

You see, we're learning more about
the way the mind works all the time.

The only trouble is,

every time he tries to
help her find out what it is,

she gets all upset.

Oh, it's tricky business,
probing the unconscious.

Better left to the experts.

Is there something
we should be doing?

Well, I think the main thing
is just to watch her carefully.

And if the dreams don't go
away by themselves, well, then,

I reckon we might be able to, uh, find
some help for her over in Richmond.

Uh, psychiatrist, psychologist.

Psychiatrist?

Hi, Ben. Well, hey!

I just talked to your
daddy about the ads.

Oh, good. He was
asking about it.

Yeah. He made a few suggestions,

but he seemed
to like most of it.

I passed out those carnival
handbills like you asked.

Good.

A lot of folks around
here are planning to go.

Well, I hope they mention
who they heard it from.

Uh, always have your mind
on business, haven't you?

Well, not always.

I was thinking that
maybe we could go

to the carnival
together on Saturday.

Gee, Ben, I'd really like to,

but I think I have to work.

Um, can I let you know later?

Sure.

Call me Friday!

What do you say, shorty?

Hey, do me a favor.

The name's Ben, use it.

Hey, Jim-Bob?

You seen Wilbur Dawes?

Sure. I'm workin' for him.

You're workin' for him.

Where do you think I might
be able to find him right now?

Uh, over by the truck. Okay.

Well, looks like you gonna
be opening on schedule.

We're gonna try.

You know it's a nice job
you done on the handbills.

Thank you very much.

I just hope it brings
you in some business.

Yeah, I hope so.

Uh, it's been a while
since you've been

through this way, ain't
it, Mr. Dawes? Yeah.

We had some trouble
here the last time.

Figured there might be
some hard feelings, you know.

Really? Yeah.

Lost a man right over there.

Oh, yeah, I remember that. Yeah.

Ferris wheel operator.

You know, that
newspaper of yours could...

Mr. Dawes, excuse
me. Just a minute.

Yeah, sure.

Elizabeth.

I thought you were
afraid of these things.

I could see it on my
way home from school.

It's bigger than our barn.

Bigger than the barn. Yeah.

It's about 10 times
bigger than you are.

You know people look
real little from the top.

Mmm-hmm.

Elizabeth,

would you be willing to ride
the Ferris wheel with me?

I'll, uh, keep my arm around you

and I'll hold you real tight,

and I'll make 'em stop
the minute you say so.

I can't promise you, but I
think maybe if you ride it,

it'll make your dreams go away.

All right.

Good.

Good.

You all right, honey? Mmm-hmm.

Could we have a
ride? Sure, Walton.

Thank you.

Now we're in tight
and I got you, okay?

Are you nervous? Do
you want me to stop?

I'll make him stop if you
want to stop, Elizabeth.

John-Boy, I remember!

You remember?

What do you remember, Elizabeth?

I went to the, I
went to the carnival

and it was where it started.

Uh-huh.

And I gave the man a dime
to start the Ferris wheel for me.

And then what?

And I was in it and he left.

He left?

He left you alone
on the Ferris wheel?

It's all right, honey,
I've got you. It's okay.

He just left her there, going
round and round all by herself?

No wonder she had nightmares.

He must have gone off to
do some other kind of work.

Anyway, when she couldn't
see him, she got scared.

She figured there was no one to
let her off, just like in the dream.

Well, how did she get off?

Well, I imagine she jumped off
when it got close enough to the ground.

Then she ran away.

She was probably so scared

she didn't know
where she was going

and that's how she
ended up down by the river.

I hope that's
all there is to it.

It seems to fit.

I have a feeling
she was guilty about

going down to the carnival.

And unconsciously
been trying to hide it.

I don't think she'll
have the dream again.

Well, all the same,

I think we ought to lock the
doors and put the keys out of reach

the way your daddy said.

Hey, Erin, want me to put
these plates up for you?

Well, no, thanks,
Ben, I can do it.

Can I give you a hand, Mama?

No.

But your daddy's fixing
the lock on the front door.

You might see if you can
give him a hand. Ma'am.

What's wrong with him?

♪ Left in this wide
world to fret and to mourn

♪ Betrayed by a
maid in her teens

♪ Now the girl that I
loved, she was handsome

♪ And I tried all I
knew her to please

Hey, you got that lock
working yet, Daddy?

It was a little rusty
from not being used.

I'm gonna put this
key up in that nail there,

so Elizabeth can't reach it.

It's a good idea.

You and John-Boy
working tonight?

Oh, John-Boy has his own key.

♪ This daring young
man on the flying trapeze

♪ His movements are graceful
all the girls he does please

♪ My love he has purloined away

♪ Oh, he'd fly through the
air with the greatest of ease ♪

Come in.

You getting ready for bed?

When somebody buys a
new pair of shoes in this family,

it's kinda hard to miss.

I guess everyone
was kinda busy tonight.

You know, those shoes brought
two inches up in my height

and no one even noticed.

You may not believe
this, but I've been...

I've been watching the
way people look at you, Son.

When they look at you
they don't see someone

tall or short, fat or thin.

They see a steady,

hardworking young fellow.

Good sense of fun.

Knows how to
frown once in a while.

They see a big
man in lots of ways.

Yeah, but not big in
the way I want to be.

Yeah.

I know what you mean.

Me,

I always wanted to have
red hair and be good-looking.

Listen, Ben,

when people look at you,
all they see is the outside.

It's them that come
up short, not you.

So you think I should take
the shoes back, don't you?

It's your money, Son.

Elizabeth all right? She's fine.

Guess John-Boy was right.

I don't know.

I never heard of anybody
being cured of a nightmare

by going for a ride
on a Ferris wheel.

I feel safer knowing
the doors are locked.

You try to get some sleep.

I'll go check in an hour or so.

Thanks.

John-Boy, whose idea was
it to build the circulation?

For the newspaper? Yes.

I'm almost halfway through.

Well, that's good to hear.

Listen, Ben, you must be tired.

Why don't you go on up to bed?

I'm almost finished here.

It's okay, I'm getting
my second wind.

I'll just stay here
till we're through.

Somebody...
Somebody, let me off!

Well, we sure earned
our money tonight.

Yeah, just don't
ask me how much.

I'll figure it out tomorrow.

What do you mean "tomorrow"?
It's past midnight already.

Well, time sure flies when
you're having fun, huh?

I'll tell you something though,

it sure beats cutting timber.

I'll lock the door.

Good night. Good night.

Erin! Mmm-mmm.

Erin! What?

Is Elizabeth in with
Mama again? I don't know.

Ben, check the bathroom.

I just was in there.

John-Boy?

Mama, is Elizabeth
in there with you? No.

She's not in my room.

She's not in my room, either.

We should have
kept her in our bed.

How about the front door
you and Ben came in?

We locked it.

It's still locked tight, Daddy.

I'll check the back porch.

Daddy, the window
in our room is open.

It was closed when
we went to bed.

It was. I checked it.

I was just thinking that if
she went out the window,

she could have gone
down the trellis. Of course.

We've all done it, 100 times.

Elizabeth! Well, she could
have gone down to the carnival.

You get down there
and check, you and Ben.

Get some lanterns. I just
can't believe she'd gone this far.

Sleepwalkers do some
pretty unbelievable things.

I read about a man who got
up in the middle of the night,

walked out of the house, went all
the way down to the railroad station.

When he woke up
he was buying a ticket.

Couldn't figure out
how he got there.

I'll start the motor
and get her down.

No, no, don't start the motor.

She'll wake up. She could fall.

Somebody's gonna have to go up.

I'll get the line out of my car.

If I tie one end around my
waist, you can ankle me up there.

Okay, look, you hold
on to the end of this.

You stay down
here and talk to her.

Ben. Ben, will you
let me go, please?

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth, it's John-Boy.
Can you hear me?

Elizabeth?

I hear you.

All right, honey, I
don't want you to move.

I want you to stay
right where you are.

Now I want you to
talk to me, all right?

I want you to tell me... Tell
me about that day again.

Tell me, did the man start
the wheel up just for you?

I gave him a dime.

Elizabeth?

What's he doing, Elizabeth?

Talk to me, all right?

I can see him now.

But now he's gone.

Elizabeth?

I want you to talk
to me, all right?

What's he doing, Elizabeth?

The sheriff's down there.

Now he's gone.

Somebody, come and let me down!

Please, someone, let me off!

Please. JOHN-BOY:
All right, honey.

Stay right where you are.

I want to get down!

Come on, somebody, let me down.

It's gonna be okay.

Please, somebody, let me down.

All right, Ben,

you know if she
falls, I gotta let you go.

What do you see now, honey?

It's that man again.

What's he doing, Elizabeth?

Somebody, let me off!

Don't move, Elizabeth.
Don't move, all right?

Just don't move, just
stay right where you are.

You just keep talking to me.

Elizabeth, do you still see him?

What do you see now, honey?

He's over by the rocks.

Tell me what he's doing.

He's hiding
something in the cave.

He's coming back now.

Come on, somebody, let
me down! I'm gonna fall!

Honey, don't move, all right?

I'm gonna fall! Yeah, you
just stay right where you are.

It hit him!

Don't move. Stay
right there, okay?

It hit him! It hit
him! It hit him!

Just don't do anything.

You just stay right there. It's
gonna be all right, you hear me?

Elizabeth, stay where
you are. Now do not move.

Help me, please!

You just don't move, honey.

If it's down in here,
we're gonna have to...

Boy, is this really
a... Somebody...

I... I just can't believe

that mother's treasured diamonds
could still be hidden there.

After all these years.

So near and yet so far.

I sure hope they are.

It all came together when Ep
and me were talking this morning.

He checked the records.

That carnival worker died
without ever coming to.

Poor little darling, no
wonder she had nightmares.

Wait a minute. Wait a
minute, what have we got here?

Elizabeth, honey, why don't you
take this to the Baldwin ladies?

Go ahead, sweetheart.

Oh, Sister, look.

Just as they were when
dear Mama last wore them.

I'd say the stolen goods
have been identified

and returned to
the rightful owners.

Elizabeth, you
must have a reward.

Something really special.

I think Elizabeth and the rest of
us have already been rewarded.

Ladies, how about a
spin on the Ferris wheel?

This is what happens
when you marry a doctor.

You get to come to the carnival

with your brother
and his girlfriend.

Well, you could do a lot worse.

I know Ben was a
real hero last night.

No doubt about that.

You folks should
be very proud of him.

We always have been.

Mama, come on,
the carnival's starting.

See you in a while.

Ben, you're not wearing
your new shoes this morning.

Guess I just don't
need them anymore.

Never again was
Elizabeth to experience

the terrors brought on by
that frightening memory.

And never again would
I attempt to unravel

the mysteries of the
unconscious mind.

Once more we could enjoy
quiet and peaceful nights

in our house on
Waltons Mountain.

Ben, when you put
your arm around a girl

are you supposed to ask
her permission or anything?

Of course not.

How about when you kiss her?

Uh-huh. It's like offering
you the last piece of candy.

I don't get it.

Well, she's gonna
feel silly if she says yes

and bad if she says no.

You sound pretty smart.

Well, I've been around.

Around girls or around candy?

Good night, Jim-Bob.

Good night, everybody.