Sitting Pretty

Synopsis: Tacey and Harry King are a suburban couple with three sons and a serious need of a babysitter. Tacey puts an ad in the paper for a live-in babysitter, and the ad is answered by Lynn Belvedere. But when she arrives, she turns out to be a man. And not just any man, but a most eccentric, outrageously forthright genius with seemingly a million careers and experiences behind him. Mr. Belvedere works miracles with the children and the house but the Kings have no idea just what he's doing with his evenings off. And when Harry has to go out of town on a business trip, a nosy parker starts a few ugly rumors. But everything comes out all right in the end thanks to Mr. Belvedere.
Genre: Comedy
Director(s): Walter Lang
Production: Twentieth Century Fox
  Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.
 
IMDB:
7.6
NOT RATED
Year:
1948
83 min
191 Views


[ Drumroll ]

[ Orchestral fanfare ]

[ Orchestra ]

Everybody loves a baby

And it might as well be you

Pretty baby

[ orchestra continues ]

Pretty baby

Pretty baby

I'd like to be your sister

Brother, dad and mother too

Pretty baby

[ Whistling ]

Pretty baby

Hey. Hey, you!

Hey, come here

a minute, will ya?

Were you addressing me?

Yeah.

Is this hummingbird hill

up here?

That is the name

of this community, yes.

I'm trying to find 21 carvers Lane.

They phoned for a cab.

Oh.

Someone going away?

How would I know?

They want a cab, that's all.

You know where it is?

I do.

You continue on and turn left into the first

street. It is the fourth house on the right.

Thanks, buddy.

You're entirely welcome.

Say, you mind telling me what

you're doing with that feather?

I am cross-pollinating a specimen

of the family iridaceae.

Come again?

I am trying to develop a new

strain of Iris. I breed them.

No kidding! You mean, like some

guys breed cocker spaniels?

The principle, believe

it or not, is identical.

Clarence!

Uh, yes, mother?

What did that taxi man want?

He's looking for

21 carvers Lane, mother.

What on earth do the Harry

kings need a cab for?

[ Cab engine starts ]

I don't know, mother!

- Well, why didn't you ask him?

- I did!

But he doesn't know

either, mother! Oh!

You never find out anything.

[ Sighs ]

Better drink it now

before it gets cold.

Never mind the milk. Wheel me over

to that other window, quickly.

Careful, now.

Hurry. Hurry.

[ Toddler wailing, crying ]

[ Wailing, crying continue]

[ Dog barking ]

[ Boy ]

Henry! Henry! Come back here!

Henry! Henry!

Come back here!

Henry!

Come back here!

Hey! Get this dog off of me!

Get him off!

He's a watchdog!

He's supposed to bite strangers!

It's all right. He won't hurt ya.

Come on, Henry.

What's the matter?

don't you like dogs?

- [ Door opens ]

- [ Crying continues ]

Yes? Oh, Roddy, will you

please stop crying.

You sent for a cab, lady.

[ Crying continues ]

You've come to the wrong house.

I didn't phone for a cab...

[ shrieks ]

Roddy, please stop!

This is number 21. Somebody

from here phoned for a cab.

I'm sorry, but there

must be some mistake.

There's no mistake, Mrs. King!

I phoned for a cab.

Really, Mrs. Maypole,

I-I don't quite understand.

There's nothing to understand.

I'm quittin', that's

all, and right now!

But you can't... you just can't

walk out... that's what you think.

Want I should

put 'em in the cab?

Yes, if you can get by them kids and that

awful dog without gettin' 'em smashed.

I don't know

what's upset you, but...

oh, you don't, huh?

Well, I'll tell ya.

It's them three kids of yours that's

upset me, and that horrible dog.

Upset me?

They've driven me nuts!

I'll never take another job anywhere

where they have kids or pets, so help me!

We had three children and a dog,

Mrs. Maypole, when you came.

We didn't spring them on you

unexpectedly.

I know. I should have

my head examined.

Good day, Mrs. King!

And mail me them two days

I got comin'.

[ Cab door closes ]

[ Sighs ]

[ Engine starts ]

don't worry, mom.

She was a pain in the neck.

She couldn't cook good either.

You're a much better cook, mom.

[ Phone ringing ]

Hello.

Oh, good morning, Mrs. King.

Just a moment, please.

- Yes?

- Your wife, Mr. King, on two.

Right.

Oh.

Hello, honey.

Say, Mr. Hammond wants us to...

what?

She didn't.

Why, the old bag!

The maid quit. Uh, it's just bill.

You can talk.

What?

I said, in a way

I'm glad to get rid of her.

All she did

was guzzle beer all day.

What? Tonight?

But how can we?

Who'll stay with the children?

Well, you'll just have to

get a babysitter.

I've told you, Mr. Hammond wants you, me,

bill and Edna to come for dinner tonight.

I don't know...

yes!

Tell her

Edna raised a stink too.

But she's going to

find a sitter, or else.

But, uh... I...

honey, I can't argue with you now.

I'm due in court.

I'll see you later.

And start phoning sitters.

Well, okay, I'll try.

Bye.

[ Sighs ]

[ Crack ]

[ Boy laughing ]

Oh, Roddy, for heaven's sake!

Oh!

[ Crying ]

[ Brakes squeak ]

[ Door closes ]

[ Car engine accelerates ]

[ Boys imitating gunfire ]

Hi, pop!

Hi!

Hiya, fellas.

[ Groans ]

Henry! Get off of me!

Get off! Get away!

[ Sighs ]

Hot enough for ya, pop?

Can't you kids train that big

ox not to jump on people?

He's glad to see ya.

Oh, he's glad to see everybody.

What you got?

Ice cream.

Oh, boy!

That's super!

[ Cat yowling ]

[ Henry barking ]

Henry! Leave that cat alone!

Henry!

Stop it! Henry! Come back here!

Henry! Come back here!

[ Barking continues ]

Hi.

[ Italian accent ] Hello, kiddo.

I bring you the stuff like you say.

Strawberry ice cream.

Chocolate cookies.

Ginger ale.

Cottage cheeses? Okay?

Thanks, honey.

Say, lady, uh, before

your husband comes home,

how about a little kiss, huh?

You picked a fine time

to be funny.

Oh, don't worry, honey.

You'll find another maid.

I'm not even going to try.

La Maypole was a

horrible extravagance.

We just can't afford a maid right now.

You know that.

Unless, of course, you got that raise.

Did you?

No.

But being invited to the boss's

house for dinner is a hopeful sign.

Who'd you get for a sitter?

I didn't.

And I phoned at least 15

of the little darlings.

Well, we've still got time.

I'll get busy on it while you feed the kids.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes

F. Hugh Herbert

For the film comedian, see Hugh Herbert.Frederick Hugh Herbert (May 29, 1897 - May 17, 1958) was a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, short story writer, and infrequent film director. more…

All F. Hugh Herbert scripts | F. Hugh Herbert Scripts

0 fans

Submitted on August 05, 2018

Discuss this script with the community:

0 Comments

    Translation

    Translate and read this script in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this screenplay to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Sitting Pretty" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/sitting_pretty_18225>.

    We need you!

    Help us build the largest writers community and scripts collection on the web!

    Watch the movie trailer

    Sitting Pretty

    Browse Scripts.com

    The Studio:

    ScreenWriting Tool

    Write your screenplay and focus on the story with many helpful features.