Curly Top

Now I lay me down to sleep.

I pray the lord my soul

to keep.

If I should die before

I wake,

I pray the lord my soul to take.

God bless Mrs. Higgins,

God bless Mrs. Denham

and God bless the trustees.

And please make us good children,

forever and ever, amen.

- Good night. - Good night.

- Night. - Goodnight!

And God bless my sister, Mary.

Amen.

Please take very good care of my duck and my pony.

Please see that they don't catch "pumonia."

Spunky!

He's all wet!

Shh! You'll get me in trouble.

- What you need, Spunky, is a hot lemonade. -

Will you be quiet?

Spunky, do you like the superintendent?

What? What?

Do you like Mrs. Denham?

Do you like the trustees?

You like me, Spunky?

Spunk?

- Oh, good morning, Henrietta. - Good morning.

Henrietta, nothing must be allowed to go wrong today. Absolutely nothing.

- Yes, Mrs. Higgins. - Of course I shall hope to

please all the trustees,

but I'm particularly anxious that we make a good impression on Mr. Edward Morgan.

I think I understand.

You think? Why Henrietta, that isn't good enough.

Read that, Henrietta. Read it carefully.

You see? Mr. Morgan's our richest trustee.

He's coming here today for the first time. If he's really pleased with the orphanage,

I believe he will double his donation to us for the coming year.

- Oh, how wonderful - Exactly!

7:00, Henrietta.

- Time to call the children in. - Very well.

Oh, Henrietta, I forgot,

Mr. James Wyckoff will also be among the trustees who will visit us today.

I want you to make very sure

that a large bottle of Mr. Wyckoff's famous cough mixture

is prominently displayed in our medicine cabinet.

I shall do it.

Elizabeth Blair, what have you got to say for yourself?

Oh, my goodness!

Elizabeth Blair, come into my office at once!

Yes, ma'am.

Elizabeth, this is the second time in a month

that you have been called to the superintendent's office.

- Yes, ma'am. - The last time you were here,

your sister Mary was also brought before me.

You both admitted at that time that you had been

singing and dancing without permission.

Yes, ma'am.

Do you know why you are here this time?

Yes, ma'am.

Then tell me why.

Don't you know?

Quiet.

Now, Elizabeth, tell me why you are here.

Because I took a pony to bed with me.

Child, you're absolutely uncontrollable!

Yes, ma'am.

Elizabeth, I am well aware

that your late father and mother were in the theatrical profession.

And that you therefore came to this home with no proper sense of discipline!

And under the circumstances, I've made every allowance for you.

But when you bring animals into the dormitory, I must act.

That's what my daddy and mommy used to do!

- What? - Act!

Don't be impudent!

Now, your pony and your duck will be sold immediately.

Please, Mrs. Higgins, please.

I'll be good, but don't take Spunky away from me

and my poor little duck.

- And why not? - Because my pony and my duck

are not just ordinary animals.

My daddy and my mommy teached them to do tricks on the stage.

And just what is your duck trained to do?

Oh, my duck does a wonderful trick.

My duck can lay an egg.

And just what is so wonderful about that?

Well, can you lay an egg?

Ooh! Excuse me.

Elizabeth, I have decided to get rid of your pony and your duck.

They will be sent away this morning.

- Yes, ma'am. - No sniffling, now.

- Yes, ma'am. - What?

No, ma'am.

There, baby, don't cry. Shh.

Mary, don't let them.

Please don't let them send Spunky and my duck away.

Oh, darling. Now listen to me, dear.

Listen very carefully to what I'm gonna tell you.

All right, Mary.

Spunky would be very unhappy if he saw you crying. Wouldn't he?

I suppose so.

You don't want to make him unhappy, do you?

- Oh, no. - All right then.

When it comes time to say good-bye to Spunky,

You'll have to be just as brave as brave can be

so you can make him brave too, see?

Spunky and I are such awfully good friends.

Oh, I know, dear.

All right, Mary.

I'll try to be brave about Spunky and my duck.

Good for you. Look, how would you like to help me get lunch?

Why, I'd love that! I like to make things to eat,

and I especially like to eat them!

Oh, my goodness!

Singing in the dining room!

Madam, is this the kind of manners you teach them?

Why, of course not, Mr. Wyckoff. They've been told

they must always be quiet at mealtime.

Oh, they've been told, have they?

Well, just telling them doesn't seem to be good enough.

Perhaps a bit of real discipline

wouldn't do them any harm.

Have you been told not to sing in the dining room?

- Yes, sir. - Then why'd you do it?

You're a bad and wicked child. You know that, don't you?

She isn't a bad and wicked child. She's just a baby.

She was making the children laugh. Besides, it wasn't her fault.

I told her to sing for the children.

And who are you, young woman? Are you an orphan too?

Yes, sir.

Then what right

have you to be here, living on charity at your age?

I'll tell you what I'm doing here!

I scrub the floors and make the beds and wash and iron and cook!

From 6:00 in the morning until 9:00 at night.

- Quiet! - I won't be quiet.

You're a mean and hateful man to frighten little children!

Mary, report to my office after the meeting.

- Yes, ma'am. - The rest of you will go to the main yard

and wait there till it's time for inspection by our dear trustees.

Yes, Mrs. Higgins.