Strike Up the Band

Jis.

James Connors, you are not cab Calloway.

We are trying to play "the national emblem,"

not "my heart belongs to daddy."

Yes, ma'am.

Well, I guess that's all we can do for tonight.

I think you'd better go home.

Rehearsal's dismissed.

Turn your music in to Willie.

Willie. Here, Willie.

You know, Jimmy, I'm getting to hate these rehearsals.

The same thing...

Every time. Yeah.

Say, Phil, would you like to stick around and play records?

I'd like to, last time we did, didn't get home until 12.

My dad was pretty burned up.

We'll knock out a few and get home early. What do you say?

That's what you said last time. I've been in the bullpen ever since.

Well, we're just practicing.

Yeah, but my folks think I practice better at home.

Anyway, Annie's waiting for me.

- Oh, you're dead. - Yeah. Goodnight.

Say, booper, like to try a little classical swing?

Can't do it.

My family's out of sympathy with these night sessions you been having.

See you tomorrow, Jimmy.

So long, boop.

Is that you, Jimmy?

Yes, mom.

What time is it, dear?

Gosh, mom, I... I don't know. It, uh...

It must be close to 11.

Goodnight, son.

Goodnight, mom.

How was I doing? Swell.

Say, I'm glad you're here, Mary, 'cause I wanna talk to you.

Okay. Well...

You know, I don't go around steaming people up.

Oh, no, of course not.

We... well, anyway. Remember once I told you that someday

we might have our own dance orchestra?

- Yes. - Well, the dog is barking.

What do you mean?

I've been thinking it over in my mind.

And, well, a fellow doesn't wanna play

with a broken-down brass band anymore.

You know, the same:

He gets tired of that.

Instead of the school having a band play the concert once a year,

why, we could have our own great modern dance orchestra.

We've got everything we need right here.

We've got the brass, the piano, the reeds and you and...

Me?

Sure, you could handle all the vocals.

Oh, that sounds wonderful, Jimmy.

It is wonderful. We could make our own arrangements

and specialties and play for all the dances.

Mary, we could put river wood high school on the map.

Now, all we gotta do is to get the school behind us.

Do you think we could sell the idea to Mr. judd?

Mr. judd, the principal? Yeah.

I thought the last time you saw him...

Well, no, I-I don't think he'd hold my past against me. This is big.

Will you go down to see him with me, Mary?

- Maybe say tonight? - Sure, I'll go.

- It's a date. - All right.

Be right there, Jimmy.

All right, Mary.

I won't be gone long.

- Hello, Jimmy. - Hello, Mrs. Holden.

I told mother about the band. She thinks it's wonderful.

You do?

Of course. I think it's splendid.

Doesn't your mother think so too?

Oh, uh, yes, ma'am. She... she thinks it's great.

I guess we'd better be going.

Goodnight, mother.

Goodnight, Mrs. Holden.

Good luck with Mr. judd.

Thanks.

That was a fib, what you said about your mother.

Yeah.

Why'd you say it?

I don't know.

You didn't even tell your mother.

- No. - Why?

Well, I guess I'm afraid to.

Afraid to tell your mother?

Mary, it isn't as easy as you think.

It's not just telling her

that we're gonna have a band, have fun, a lot of laughs.

Don't you see that I've gotta tell her...

I've gotta tell her that this is it, music.

It's my future. It's the thing I want most.

- Maybe she'd understand. - No, I don't think she would.

She wants me to be a doctor like dad.

But, Mary, look at me. Do I look like a doctor?

- No, I guess you don't. - No, of course I don't.

But ever since I can remember,

she's always talked to me about it.

Well, I've agreed with her because it...

I saw that it made her happy, but...

Now I can't even do that.

Jimmy, are you sure you wanna be a drummer?

Mary, I was never more sure of anything in my life.

You've got to be really sure.

Why don't you wait and see what Mr. judd says

about you organizing this school band?

If he says it's all right, and the first school dance is a success,

and you know that that's what you wanna do,

well, go to her and tell her then. She'll understand.

Because she'd realize that your ambition is strong and Sincere.

Oh, mothers are like that, Jimmy.

Gee, I never thought of it that way before.

But you're right, Mary, and I'll do it.

Oh, you know, you're so wonderful.

Gosh, it's a great comfort to have somebody

you can tell your troubles to.

You're always so wonderful about putting me on the right track.

Yeah? Yeah.

You know, you're gonna make some man a fine wife.

Yeah? Yeah.

And, well, I'm gonna envy the guy that gets you too.

Yeah? Yeah.

And, I'll never forget what a great pal you've been to me.

Yeah? Yeah!

Straight from the shoulder, a real pal.

Reminds me of a song.

What song?

"Oh! What a pal was Mary."

Yeah!

Yeah.

Jimmy, the band has been a big disappointment.

Are the boys losing interest? No, sir, not in the music.

There are awfully fine musicians in that outfit.

They're just not interested in the stuff they're playing.

When you start playing anything, you've gotta be hopping inside.

Oh, it's wonderful for parades and Memorial Day, but...

People don't wanna sit around

and listen to that kind of stuff anymore.

Jimmy, I've been giving it a lot of thought lately,

and I'm glad you told me.

The band has cost the school a lot of money.

Maybe we better disorganize it and call the whole thing off.

We're already enough in debt.

Mr. judd, you just give me 60 seconds of your time

and I'll brush that whole burden right off your shoulders.

Go ahead, Jimmy. It would be a pleasure.

Well, I've been talking to the fellows and

we'd like to organize our own dance band.

Dance orchestra?

Certainly. Instead of a brass band,

we'd like to have a modern dance orchestra.

- Yes... - Well, you let us go ahead

and form this particular type of band

and I'll guarantee you that within one night,

we'll wipe out that whole debt.

I know it!

I've been thinking it over for a long time.

If we don't bring ins as many people at the dance

as we have at the concerts in the past 10 years,

we'll forget about the whole thing.

Just a minute.

You're going to organize a dance orchestra, ready to play...

Not only are we gonna have a great dance orchestra, Mr. judd,

but we're also gonna have a great singer too.

Oh, I see.

You're going to arrange for the whole thing?

Yes, sir.

Publicity,

selling tickets,

paying off the debt of the band.

The whole thing, all in three weeks?

In a breeze. =-in a breeze?

You've taken on a pretty large order, Jimmy.

- I don't believe you can do it. - He can do it.

- I know he can do it. - I'm... I'm sure I can do it,

if you'll only give me the chance, Mr. judd.

All right. I'll buy the first ticket.

Oh, thanks, Mr. judd.

Mary, the principal shook hands with me.

- We certainly slipped it to him. - We certainly did.

- There's a great old guy. - He's a great old guy.

Vision. That's what he's got.

There's a man that can see over the transom.

- Yes sir, he's gonna go places. - He sure is.

You know what that was, Mary? What?

That was a springboard and he just launched

the biggest ship that ever sailed down the streets of river wood.

You're absolutely right.

- Let's take a shortcut. - Okay.

You know, Mary, I misjudged that man.

Heart, that's what he's got. A lot of heart.

Here, I'll help you.

Something's been troubling me lately.

What?

Well, w... do you think "our love affair" has enough punch in it?

Hm? "Our love affair."

Oh, well, now that you mentioned it, Jimmy...

Because I've got a new arrangement on it.