Little Men

(boy): Newspapers!

Look under here. Look.

- Oh, but I must take that one over there.

It looks much fresher. - Oh, yes.

- (man): Come get your bread! Freshly baked!

That's the one.

Oh, look!

- (woman): How are you? - (man): Come get your bread!

(boy): Newspapers!

Get your Herald!

I'm telling ya.

- You keep it in your pocket, things'll start going your way.

- You sure? - Yeah, never fails.

Hmm.

A rabbit's foot?

- Whoa! - Excuse me, sir.

Green belly. You hungry?

You gotta eat.

You've been starting yourself ever since your pa died.

How much do I owe ya? - Three bits.

- (man): Here is the poultry! Come and get it!

The finest in the marketplace!

- (woman): Carpets! Carpets! All colours!

All shapes and sizes! The lowest prices!

Where'd that come from?

- See? The old rabbit foot's working already.

- Stop them! - Come on!

- Thief! - Move!

- Thief! Thief! Stop them!

Stop them!

Stop those boys!

Stop them! Thief!

Stop those boys!

Stop them!

Stop them! (whistle)

My violin! (horse neighing)

- End of the line! - Pickpockets! Stop them!

Oh, there's that--! - All right!

Give me my money!

- OK! All right! We'll handle it from here, sir!

- You'd better handle it! Give me my money!

I want my money!

Gentlemen! Gentlemen!

It's all right.

No one's going to hurt you. Sergeant, may I ask what

you'll be doing with the boy? - We'll book him, and leave him

at the wayward house with the rest of the street urchins.

Well, perhaps I have an alternative.

My sister-in-law has a school. It's a happy homelike place

for boys who need teaching and care and...

a little bit of kindness. - And discipline!

- (Molly): The year was 1871, and the little women had grown

into wives and mothers, passing the joys of childhood

onto others. Jo had married Professor Bhaer,

and the two of them set up a school at Plumfield,

the home Jo had inherited from her aunt.

- "Dearest Jo and Fritz, Nat is a case after your own heart -

"a motherless child, Nat was raised in poverty.

"His father taught him how to play the violin

"for spare pennies. Only a few weeks ago,

"his father died, and the poor lad has been homeless ever since.

"I think there's something in him, and I have a fancy

that between us we may give this little man a lift. With love, John."

Well, he thinks he's full of potential;

he's just lost everything he's ever known.

You're a good woman, Jo,

and with you tending to his heart, he'll be fine.

- (Molly): Plumfield was where John Brooke sent

his son and daughter, and this was where he wanted Nat to go.

He knew his sister-in-law would have a special place

in her heart for the street urchin he'd rescued

at the market, and provide the boy

the love and care he desperately needed.

Go into the house, Nat.

Give Molly your letter. She'll look after you.

- (Molly): Nat was worried, for he had heard

that teachers gave raps on the head

when lessons were not well done.

Oh, what surprises were in store for the lad, as Plumfield

was unlike any school he could have imagined.

Hello. Well, you must be the new boy.

Come on in. That's it.

This is for Mrs. Bhaer.

- Well, you just stand there and warm up a bit

while I take this in to her.

- Hello. Have you seen Aunt Jo?

Not yet.

Hello.

This is my sister, Daisy.

Mrs. Bhaer will see you now.

- I'll take him to her, Molly. - Oh, thank you, Daisy.

Come.

Gotcha! (laughing)

Here he is, Auntie!

Oh. So, this is my new boy.

I'm very glad you're here. I hope you'll be happy with us.

I'm Jo. This is Fritz. Think of us as Mother and Father Bhaer.

- Welcome to Plumfield, my son. There's a place all ready for you.

- All we ask in return is honesty and a willingness to learn.

Mmm,

the dinner bell. Are you as hungry

as I am, lad?

- Ah! - I'll pull your ears off!

- It's a secret. - Jack, give me my fork back!

- Sit down, Tommy. - Molly, you and Jo have outdone

yourselves with this meal. - Settle down now.

Ah, ah, ah, ah!

Patience is a virtue. Everyone...

Everyone! - Settle down, Jack.

This is our new boy.

Come on. Nat Blake.

- Hello. - Hello, Nat. (all saying hello)

- Hello, everyone. - Please sit down.

This is our mischievous little monkey, Tommy Bangs.

These are Mr. Brooke's children, Daisy and Demi Brooke.

Next to Daisy is George Cole. - But you can call me Stuffy.

- And the tall fellow there is Franz. That is Mr. Bhaer's nephew.

- He helps me teach, and he's also a very good musician.

Are you a musician yourself, Nat?

- That is Adolphus Pettingill. - But we call him Dolly.

And there is Emil.

- Ahoy, matey, and welcome to the good ship Plumfield.

- Ah, the commodore has salt water in his veins.

(Emil): Arr!

And that is Jack Ford.

You're gonna like it here, Blake.

- Sure, he'll like it! - And of course you've met

little Bhaer.

I know you're all hungry, so I'll say grace.

Let us pray.

It is very meet, right, and our bounden duty

that we should at all times and in all places give thanks

unto thee, Holy Father,

almighty and everlasting God.

Amen. - (all): Amen.

(Nat): Amen.

- You may begin. Would you like soup, Daisy?

- Yes, please. - Could I have some too, please?

- You can all give Nat your how-do-you-dos after supper.

- (boy): Hey! Who took my spoon? - And gently, boys.

Gently. - (boy): May I have some bread?

- What did Mr. Bhaer mean when he said, "Gently"?

Because it's Saturday night.

Pillow fight!

Take that!

This isn't like other schools.

- Heads up, Nat! - Ugh!

Go ahead.

Go on, Nat. Join in the fun.

Go on.

Hey, two pillows, that's not fair!

Defend yourself, matey!

Or prepare to walk the plank!

- Whop him one, Nat! - Oh!

- Ah, as usual, our cup runneth over. - Mm-hmm.

Will we make it through spring?

- At least Nat's tuition is covered by your brother-in-law.

Well, faith, hard work,

and a little help from above will see us through.

It always has. - (boy): Hey! Ow!

- (boy): Hey, that's not fair! - You care to join me?

I don't think so.

Ah, you old wet blanket, you.

- How much longer, Aunt Jo? - You have 10 seconds, Demi.

Four, three, two,

one. (whistle blown)

- Hey! Hey! - Time is up.

Time is up.

Into bed, ragamuffins, or pay the forfeit.

- We have 15 minutes and not a second longer.

What's the forfeit?

- We lose our fun, Blake, as in no pillow fight next Saturday night.

If Mrs. Bhaer cuts a dozen

slices of apple pie, but only serves

three quarters of them,

how many slices are left? - Hmm.

Three quarters of 12...

- Yes, Stuffy? - Serving nine slices leaves three.

- Good! Any questions? - Oh, sir, me!

- Yes, Stuffy? - When do we get to eat them?

Tonight, I hope. That will be all for

this afternoon, fellows. See you at dinner.

Please, don't stop.

- But we would like to hear you play something, Nat.

I don't know how to play the recorder.

- Hmm. - Well...

what about...

this?

I've had it for years. It's a family heirloom.

How can I thank you?

By playing something.

- Woo-hoo! - Yee-haw!

- Yahoo! - Woo!

Yeah!

Woo-hoo!

Yee-haw!

Woo-hoo!

- Bravo, Nat! - Bravo! Well done, my son!

Well done! - Well done, Nat.

- You were a street musician? - Uh-huh.