The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

- Hey, Doctor! - I'm not a doctor. He's upstairs.

Hold the presses! Hold everything! Hold it! Get me the state capital.

I've got to talk to the Governor immediately!

It's a matter of life and death.

- Hello. Mr. Governor? - Yeah.

The editor of what? The Bugle? Yeah.

What town was that again? Morgan's Creek?

Is that in my state? Never heard of it.

You never heard of it?

By tomorrow morning, Morgan's Creek will be...

- the most famous town in America. - The world!

This is the last free phone in town. Every room has been reserved...

- for 15 miles around. - Thirty!

A 100 newspapermen are here and 500 more are expected tomorrow.

A thousand.

- There's a shortage of food, telephones... - Milk.

- Telegraph wires! - Liquor.

- Transportation, policemen and everything. - Tents.

We need a lot of help or they're going to tear this town up by the roots.

We need state police...

- food, water, beds, blankets. - Plumbing!

Wait a minute. Take it easy, will you? What happened down there?

You got a flood or did you strike oil or something?

- "Did we strike oil or something?" - Tell him!

- No, Mr. Governor, we did not strike oil. - Anybody can strike oil.

- We have not got a flood. - Anybody can have a flood.

- What we've got, Mr. Governor, is... - You got what?

- Yes, Mr. Governor. - Shut up! Not you.

Are you sure of your facts? This is important.

I wish I could be down there myself.

This is a matter of state policy, state pride, national pride.

Hold the wire a minute. Get on this line, take everything down in shorthand.

Get a map of the state. Make sure that Morgan's Creek is in it.

If it ain't, maybe we could persuade them to move over.

- Yes, Mr. Governor? - Shut up! Not you.

Get me all the newspapermen. I want to speak to the radio stations.

- What happened? - Things like this gotta be guided.

Get right down to Morgan's Creek, buy up a few choice corners...

some hotel sites, they'll need some. And the bus franchises will be very valuable.

- Morgan's what? - "Creek," like a little river.

- A little river should have a big dam. - Why not? Give me the facts.

It's the biggest thing happening to this state since we stole it from the Indians.

- Borrowed. - Who's excited now?

I'll tell you all I know, Mr. Governor. I started the whole thing.

I was writing my midweek editorial, I was looking for a subject for it.

I'm rather famous for my editorials in this part of the state.

He's going to tell us his life story!

And I noticed a few soldiers in the town.

- What an eye! - What a bore!

It occurred to me that the girls in the town...

and the soldiers around the towns would make an excellent subject for my editorial!

All right, let's have it! We're going to get it anyhow.

I was looking out the window and there I saw Off. Kockenlocker...

our town constable, directing traffic as usual.

Keep moving! Can't you see it says "Go?"

Get out of here!

We got to get some dates for that dance tonight. You got any numbers?

Try the telephone company. What do you think I am?

- Tough guy, huh? - Tough enough, rookie!

Where do you get that rookie stuff?

Listen, cookie, I was in France before you were housebroken.

Now, get off the street and behave yourselves.

- What's all the trouble? - There's no trouble.

I just don't like to be talked to by rookies, that's all.

This is Mr. Kockenlocker, gentlemen, a sergeant in the other war.

- It's all different now, Ed. - It's all done with kindness.

Yeah. Come on, get off the street. Quit blocking the traffic.

- Please. - Please.

You get the idea, Ed? It's more psychological.

- Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.

Excuse me, were you looking for some girls?

- We certainly were. - I know of one.

- I'll bet you do, sugar. - It's Mr. Kockenlocker's daughter.

That crab?

She's one of the prettiest girls in town. She works in Rafferty's Music Store.

Come on now, you got to beat it or buy something before Mr. Rafferty gets after me.

- Will you come tonight? - Sure, I'll be there.

All right, so long, Trudy.

- Save the first dance for me, will you? - I'll flip you for it.

Save me the last dance.

- Hello, Trudy. - Hello, Norval.

I'd like a package of phonograph needles, please.

- Three Indestructos or 36 Ragons? - It really doesn't matter.

- I think the Indestructos... - Thank you, Trudy.

I passed by the lobby. They've got three pictures playing at the Regent tonight.

I thought that if you weren't doing anything, considering that I was also free...

I'm awfully sorry, Norval, but I wouldn't be able to make it tonight.

I promised to go to the dance for the boys that are going away.

- For the soldiers. - That's right, Norval. I'm awful sorry.

You'd think they'd give a party sometime for those who have to stay behind.

They also serve, who only sit and... Whatever they do, I forget.

I'm sure they do, Norval.

I don't get to see you quite as much as I used to, or as I'd like to, Trudy.

I'm awfully sorry, Norval.

Naturally, the camps, the canteens and everything take up a lot of your spare time.

Naturally.

Why don't you come tonight? The tickets are only 50 cents.

It isn't the 50 cents. I wouldn't feel right not being in uniform.

- I guess nobody feels good about that. - It isn't as if I hadn't tried.

- But every time they start to examine me... - I know.

- And then... - I know.

- The spots. - The spots.

- Maybe some other time, Trudy. - I'd be glad to, Norval.

Good night, Trudy.

You forgot your needles.

It really doesn't matter. I haven't got a phonograph, anyway.

What are you looking at?

You wasn't thinking of getting married, was you?

At 14?

I was thinking of going down to the corner and having a soda.

I don't mean what you were thinking about right now, I mean generally.

- Generally, yes. - "Generally, yes" what?

Generally yes, I think about marriage. What else do you think I think about?

- You do, do you? - Anybody can think about it, can't they?

It doesn't cost anything to think about it. It's only when you do it that it costs $2.

What costs $2?

You seem to know a great deal about a subject far beyond your years.

- Like it says here in the paper... - That's your subject, Papa.

You introduced it. If you don't like it, ignore it.

Tell your sister the house ain't paid for, will you?

She knows that, Papa. You tell her every day.

Every day ain't enough. What's she doing up there, anyway?

- Getting ready for the party. - Getting ready for what party?

The dance, Papa. You've got to kiss the boys goodbye.

It's a farewell party. A military affair.

- Good night, Papa. - Just a moment!

What is this military kiss-the-boys-goodbye business...

and where is it to be transacted?

Just like they always do, in the church basement...

then the country club and then kind of... Like that.

- Like what? - That's all.

- Good night, Papa. - Just a minute!

- What happens after the country club? - Then they bring you home.

Yeah, by way of Cincinnati with a side trip through Detroit!

I was a soldier, too, in the last war.

But, Papa, I've already promised and I'm all dressed up.

You can go get undressed. It says here in the paper...

But, Papa...

People aren't as evil-minded as they used to be when you were a soldier, Papa.

When I want any advice out of you, I'll ask for it.

- And you'll get it. - Yeah?

I wish Mama was here.

So do I, believe me. But she ain't. Daughters.

So, as your father and mother combined...

I'm here to tell you that you ain't going on no more military parties.

Read what it says here in the paper!

If you don't mind my mentioning it, Father, I think you have a mind like a swamp.

What!

- Aren't you going out tonight? - No, ma'am.

I thought you were going to the picture.

I thought I would, and then I figured I wouldn't.

Isn't there a dance or something tonight?

For the soldiers.

I'm sorry, Norval.

If they don't want me, they don't want me.

Couldn't the doctor give you something to calm you?

Just long enough for the examination, like whiskey or something?

I'm perfectly calm. I'm as cool as ice.

I start to figure maybe they won't take me...

and some cold sweat runs down the middle of my back, and my head begins to buzz...

and everything in the middle of the room begins to swim...

and I get black spots in front of my eyes...

and they say I've got high blood pressure again.

And all the time I'm cool as ice!

- Don't get so excited, Norval. - Who's excited?

Hello. Yes.

Gee, that's swell, Trudy.

Kind of a lucky break, huh?

I certainly appreciate you calling me right away. I'll be right over.

Goodbye. Oh, boy!

- Have you got any money? - Money?

What for? Yeah, I've got plenty. Goodbye.

- Your coat! - My coat.

- I got it. - Don't get so excited!

What kind of music is that?

Hello?

Hello, Trudy. Hello, Emmy. Good evening, Mr. Kockenlocker.

I'm glad you're going to the picture show with me tonight.

- Who, me? - I'm very glad to go with you, Norval.

Fine. I don't want to sound unpatriotic but I'm glad they called that dance off...

- for my sake, I mean. - It wasn't exactly for your...

- It was just called off. - Come on, Norval. Good night, Emmy, Papa.

- Be home right after the picture. - Where else could I go?

- I didn't ask where else... - There's a new boogie-woogie joint...

- Listen, you. - Come on, Norval.

Right after the picture.

- Yes, Papa. - Yes, Mr. Kockenlocker.

Now, what do you know about this little boogie-woogie joint?

Nothing, Papa.

I just heard you were there, digging quite a trench.

It was certainly very sweet of you to come and get me right away, Norval.

The pleasure's all mine, Trudy.

Except to get into the Army, I can't hardly think of anything...

that gives me as much pleasure as taking you out.

That's nice to hear. You certainly helped me out by taking me out tonight.

After I was all dressed up like a horse and everything.

The pleasure's mine, Trudy. Not that you look anything like a horse.

- Maybe I should have worn my tuxedo. - Thank you, Norval.

- You certainly helped me out. - Any time.

- You really mean that, Norval? - Really mean what, Trudy?