Introduction[]
(D.W. plays with dolls on the living room floor while Arthur lies on the couch eating cookies.)
D.W.: This is Tiffany and this is her servant. And this is their lifeboat and these are the angry sharks...
(Kate grabs Tiffany.)
D.W.: (gasps) No! I'll do the playing! You just watch me!
Kate: (wails)
(Both Kate and D.W. pull at the doll. The head falls off.)
D.W.: (gasps) Aah! Look what you did!
(Mrs. Read comes in.)
Mrs. Read: Play nicely, D.W.
D.W.: But she killed Tiffany!
Kate: (giggles)
Mrs. Read: Here. Give that to me. This looks easy to fix. Don't worry. Ahh, there we go! Good as new! No need to get excited!
(She gives D.W. the fixed doll back.)
D.W.: How come you're always on her side?
Mrs. Read: I am not on anyone's side, but Kate's a baby and, and you're a big girl.
D.W.: I am not a big girl! I'm a little girl!
Kate: (chuckles)
D.W.: Be quiet, you!
Mrs. Read: D.W.!
D.W.: You sweet, little baby-wayby!
(She sees Mrs. Read leaving the room.)
D.W.: This is mine! You can only touch it when I say so!
(Kate reaches for the doll.)
Mrs. Read: D.W.!
D.W.: Give that back or I'll... PINCH you!!
(Mrs. Read has returned and puts D.W. on her feet, causing D.W. to drop the doll.)
D.W.: Augh!!
Mrs. Read: Dora Winifred Read, go to your room!
D.W.: But what did I do?
(Intertitle shows.)
Title Card: Go to Your Room, D.W.[]
(D.W. stands in her room and holds the bars of Kate’s crib, so that it looks like she is in jail.)
D.W.: This is so unfair! I'm a prisoner in my own room.
(Nadine appears.)
Nadine: It's only for a little while, D.W.
D.W.: (darkly) It's all because of that... that... baby!
(Mrs. Read comes in and Nadine disappears.)
D.W.: Is it time yet? Am I free?
Mrs. Read: You just got here. Ten minutes more and then you can come downstairs.
(D.W.’s stomach growls.)
D.W.: What about my supper? How will I survive?!
Mrs. Read: Supper's not till six. You'll be out long before then.
D.W.: But what if you forget about me? I could starve to death! Mommy! Mommy!
(She clings to her mother’s leg. Mrs. Read looks annoyed. She sits D.W. down on the bed.)
Mrs. Read: It's 4:30 now. When the clock says 4:40, you can come downstairs. And I'll set the alarm, so you'll know when it's time.
(D.W. pretends to cry her pillow.)
D.W.: You don't love me! You only love Kate and Arthur and Daddy and Pal and... and Grandpa, and Aunt Lucy, and...and...
(Mrs. Read has left the room and Nadine reappears.)
D.W.: How long did she say?
Nadine: Ten minutes. When it says four-three-one, that means one minute has gone by.
D.W.: I know that! I do go to preschool, you know!
(D.W. and Nadine look at the clock. D.W. looks impatient, Nadine looks amused.)
D.W.: Nadine!
Nadine: What?
D.W.: It's not moving! She grabs the clock. (gasps) Mom! Dad!
(In her imagination, she runs down the stairs.)
D.W.: Something's wrong with the clock! I think time has... stopped?
(Arthur sits frozen on the couch, holding a cookie he was about to eat. D.W. takes a bite of the cookie and puts it back in Arthur’s hand.)
Nadine: What's going on?
D.W.: Time's stopped, and we're the only ones who are awake. (Suddenly, D.W. smiles.) Yippee!
(D.W. walks into the kitchen, where Mrs. Read is frozen while feeding Kate.)
D.W.: (sings) “La-la-la-ta-da. Too-de-loo. La-la-la-ta-da.”
(D.W. runs out into the yard where Pal is frozen jumping over a ball. She picks him out of the air, runs past the Tibbles on their bicycles and puts Pal down in front of the Tibbles’ house.)
D.W.: Stay! You live with the Tibbles now.
(She sticks out her tongue at the frozen Tibbles.)
D.W.: You booby-faced baloney heads!
(The fantasy ends. In reality, she is standing at the foot of the stairs sticking out her tongue.)
Mr. Read: What are you doing?
(D.W. freezes for a moment, then talks frantically.)
D.W.: (frantically) The clock broke and time stopped and I was coming to warn you...
Mr. Read: Nice try, D.W. Back to your room now!
(D.W. goes back up.)
D.W.: (grumpily) Sheesh! You don't have to treat me like a criminal!
***
(D.W. throws herself on her bed. The clock now says 4:32.)
D.W.: That only took two minutes?! I'll never be free.
Nadine: Yes, you will. It's not so bad.
D.W.: I'll let you know, I have the meanest parents in the whole world. All they do is punish me and make me work like a slave girl!
(She slides to the floor.)
Nadine: Like when?
D.W.: Don't you remember when Arthur got that cold and I had to stay up all night to take care of him...
(Imaginary flashback: Arthur lies in bed eating a cookie, while D.W. stands by the bed in rags holding a plate with more cookies.)
Arthur: A-choo! I'm ready for some cake now.
D.W.: Arthur... (She drops the plate of cookies on the floor.) Can't I go to sleep now? I'm so tired.
Arthur: No way! You have to stay and entertain me, remember? I'm sick. You want me to call Mom?
D.W.: (gasps) She dances and sings. "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands... (sighs) If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands..."
Arthur: (a little annoyed) You call that entertainment? Tell me a joke.
D.W.: Why did the chicken cross...
Arthur: Heard it.
D.W.: How do you know when there's an elephant...
Arthur: Heard it.
D.W.: What's black and white and red...
Arthur: (annoyed sigh) Heard it! Go over to wall and stand on your head while I count to 300. Now that'll be funny.
D.W.: (sobs)
(The flashback ends. D.W. pretends to cry.)
D.W.: (sobs) And what about when Cousin Lucy got married? I had to stay at home and cook and clean while everyone else went to the wedding...
(Imaginary flashback: D.W., in rags again, which are now completely tattered, cleans the fireplace.)
D.W.: A-a-achoo!
Mrs. Read: (angrily) AREN'T YOU DONE YET?! YOU STILL HAVE THE BEDS TO MAKE AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED THE BREAKFAST DISHES!
D.W.: Can't I go to the wedding, PLEASE?!
Mrs. Read: Weddings are NOT for little girls!
(Arthur comes in with his dad, Kate and Grandma Thora.)
D.W.: But what about Kate? She's going.
Mrs. Read: (maniacally) Kate is a baby! Besides, we like her better than you! Ready, everyone?
(They leave.)
Arthur: Don't forget to brush the dog.
(D.W. wipes away tears. She watches from the window as the family gets in the car.)
(The flashback ends. D.W. sobs in her pillow.)
D.W.: (sobs) It's so sad being me.
Nadine: But you went to the wedding, D.W.
D.W.: Whose side are you on, anyway? (She looks at the clock.) 4:34?! Will this never end?!
(She throws the pillow on Nadine.)
Nadine: Oof!
(D.W. runs to the top of the stairs.)
D.W.: Mommy? (sniffles)
Mrs. Read: (half stressed, half tired) What is it now?
D.W.: Are you sure my clock is working? Maybe I've really been in here for hours.
Mrs. Read: Your clock is working perfectly. Go back to your room.
D.W.: That's it. I'm phoning Grandma's. At least she likes me...
(In her imagination, Mr. Read picks up the phone in the kitchen. Grandma Thora is phoning from her kitchen with D.W. sitting next to her eating cookies.)
Mr. Read: Hello?
Thora: Son, this is your mother. What do you mean by punishing poor little D.W.? (looks at D.W.) Eat up, lovey. You can have all the cookies you want. (returns to call) How could you?! Look at this little angel. This child is perfect. (A halo appears over D.W.'s head.) Punish Arthur. He's the real troublemaker!
Mr. Read: Absolutely! Yes, of course, Mom!
(Arthur walks in, eating cake. He opens the refrigerator.)
Mr. Read: Arthur, go to your room and never come out!
(Arthur stares at his father, stunned and confused.)
Arthur: (gulps)
(The fantasy ends.)
D.W.: I just love Grandma Thora.
Nadine: How are we gonna get to Grandma's when you can't leave your room?
D.W.: Easy. I'll just slide down the drain pipe.
(She goes to the window.)
Nadine: Then what? You aren't allowed to cross the street by yourself...
(In D.W.’s imagination, she and Nadine stand by side of the road with a suitcase as cars go by.)
D.W.: Who invented cars anyway?
Nadine: What should we do?
(D.W. finds a quarter on the sidewalk and picks it up.)
D.W.: A quarter!
(In an office, a phone dispatcher is reading a newspaper when his phone rings.)
Dispatcher: ACME Cab.
(D.W. stands on Nadine’s shoulders in a phone booth.)
D.W.: (fake crying on phone) This is D.W. And I'm a little girl alone and forgotten. And I'm running away from home because they're punishing me. And it's not fair because it's all Kate's fault anyway and...
Dispatcher & Drivers: (crying)
D.W.: ...and I need to get to Grandma's because she's the only one who really, really, truly loves me, but... but I can't get to her house because I'm not allowed to cross the street!
Dispatcher: Stop right there, little girl. We'll be right over!
(D.W. stops her fake crying and smiles. The drivers race to their cabs and drive off.)
(The fantasy ends. D.W. closes her suitcase in her room. The clock now says 4:36.)
D.W.: So that's what I'll do. Are you ready?
Nadine: Hey, your punishment's almost up. Why don't we just stay here?
D.W.: It's too late. They had their chance.
(They go to the window and D.W. throws out her suitcase.)
D.W.: Look out below!
(They see the suitcase fall. The house suddenly appears to be much higher.)
D.W.: Y-you first, Nadine.
Nadine: The drainpipe's way over there.
D.W.: Oh darn! I guess we can't go.
***
(D.W. hears noises from downstairs.)
Mr. & Mrs. Read: (laughing)
(D.W. looks into the living room, where Kate tries to walk upright to her mom.)
Mr. Read: Atta girl, Kate, come on.
(Meanwhile, Arthur is watching Bionic Bunny on TV.)
Leader of the Free World (on TV): Thank goodness you've come.
Bionic Bunny (on TV): Why, it's the Leader of the Free World. Wait a minute! Why are you tied up?
Arthur: Hey! This is important! Bionic Bunny is meeting the Leader of the Free World!
(They stare at him for a moment, then go back to playing. D.W. sits sadly on the stairs.)
D.W.: They've forgotten all about me.
(Nadine appears beside her.)
Nadine: What's the matter now?
D.W.: They don't miss me. They're glad I'm not there. Even Pal doesn't miss me. (Pal runs to the stairs, wags his tail and barks.) Get away from me, you goofy dog!
Pal: (barks)
(Arthur notices him and comes out, just as D.W. goes back upstairs to her room and Nadine disappears.)
Arthur: What is it, Pal? Do you smell something weird?
***
(D.W. and Nadine are back in D.W.’s room.)
D.W.: I've been here so long. Arthur's even trained that dog to attack me!
Nadine: I think he was just happy to see you.
D.W.: It's no good, Nadine. I'll never see the light of day again! (She theatrically slumps on her bed.) I'll never go to kindergarten! Or get shiny braces on my teeth! Or see Arthur's first pimple!
(Nadine disappears as Mrs. Read comes in with Kate. D.W. notices Kate playing beside her.)
D.W.: Where did you come from?
Mrs. Read: Hi, sweetie. Would you mind watching Kate for a sec?
(She closes the door.)
D.W.: It's not bad enough that they punish me, now they make me babysit the enemy!
Kate: (babbles and looks cute)
D.W.: Don't smile at me! This is all your fault!
(She points at Kate who looks confused.)
Nadine: What did she do that was so bad?
D.W.: What did she do? She's been ruining my life all day! Don't you remember when we were at the store...
(Flashback: Mrs. Read looks at a shirt in the store. Behind her, D.W. tries to hide a Princess Sneeze'n'Wet Doll under a packet of diapers.)
D.W.: Shh.
Kate: Ooch.
D.W.: No! I mean "Shh!"
Kate: Oo?
(D.W. is about to put the doll in the cart just as her mother catches her.)
Mrs. Read: (angrily) Put that doll back, D.W.!
(The flashback ends.)
Kate: (laughs)
Nadine: She didn't mean to get you in trouble. She thought you were playing.
D.W.: Well... But she's always ruining stuff, like later when we were leaving...
(Flashback: D.W. rides a mechanical horse near the store's entrance. There is a mechanical cow beside the horse.)
D.W.: Don't move, cow! I'm gonna lasso you and take you home to your mother!
(Mrs. Read walks up holding a drowsy looking Kate.)
Mrs. Read: Time to go.
D.W.: I'm busy. I'm rescuing a cow.
Mrs. Read: Honey, Kate needs her nap.
D.W.: Put her in the car! She can sleep while I'm playing!
Mrs. Read: (impatiently) D.W., NOW!
(The flashback ends. Kate crawls over to D.W. and puts her head in D.W.’s lap.)
D.W.: Don't get cute.
(She briefly pats Kate, then looks angry again.)
D.W.: And then all afternoon, she kept trying to steal my toys...
(Flashback: D.W. and Kate sit on the living room floor with several toys between them.)
D.W.: That's mine, and this is mine. And this, and this one too. No, and this one's mine. Oh yes, and this one too.
(The flashback ends. Kate shakes her rattle and gives it to D.W. D.W. looks guilty.)
D.W.: I'm the meanest sister in the whole world. Can you ever forgive me?
(She hugs Kate. Nadine smiles and disappears as Mrs. Read comes in.)
Mom: See? All you have to do is be your nice, sweet self and the two of you get along just fine.
D.W.: So you don't love Kate more than me?
Mom: I love you both... very much.
(She hugs her daughters. The clock beeps.)
D.W.: What the...?
(Mrs. Read turns off the alarm.)
Mrs. Read: Your punishment's over, D.W. Are you ready to go downstairs?
(Kate and D.W. are playing peek-a-boo.)
Kate & D.W.: (laugh)
D.W.: Actually, we're gonna finish playing Lifeboat.
Mrs. Read: Suit yourself.
***
(Later, the clock goes from 5:59 to 6:00. Kate is asleep on the rug. Meanwhile, a toy shark is eating Tiffany’s servant while D.W. moves Tiffany.)
D.W.: Dive! Dive! It's the only thing that can save you!
(Mrs. Read calls from downstairs.)
Mrs. Read: Hey, everyone! Supper time! Come down!
D.W.: In a minute.
Mr. Read: D.W.!
Mrs. Read: Supper's getting cold.
(Mrs. Read comes into the room)
D.W.: Mom? Five more minutes? Please?
(She goes on playing while Kate sleeps.)
(END)