 Ladies and gentlemen, the railroad hour. And here comes our star-studded show train. Tonight, the Association of American Railroads presents a great musical hit, The Red Mill starring Gene Kelly, Lucille Norman, and your host, Gordon MacRae. Our choir is under the direction of Norman Luboff, and our music is arranged and conducted by Carmen Dragon. Yes, tonight another great musical success is brought to you by the American Railroads, the same railroads that also bring you most of the food you eat, the clothes you wear, the fuel you burn, and all the other things you use in your daily life. And now, here is Gordon MacRae. Ladies and gentlemen, on stage tonight is one of the happiest shows that ever hit Broadway. It's The Red Mill, with book and lyrics by Henry Blossom and music by Victor Herbert. David Montgomery and Fred Stone were starred when The Red Mill first started spinning, and audiences cheered the same show last season when it was brought back to Broadway with great success. For the 1949 radio version, however, Montgomery and Stone become Kelly and MacRae. The Kelly, of course, is one of Hollywood's most popular screen personalities, Mr. Gene Kelly. Thank you, thank you, yep. Just for tonight, Gordy and I are going to slip on a couple of checkered vests and straw hats. And we'll be sporting two of the corneous names that ever bounced off a balcony. What do they call you, boy? Why, I'm Kit Conner. What a coincidence. I'm Conn Kidder. Pretty grim, huh? Say, uh, will you meet Lucille Norman and Alan Reed? They play a couple of Dutch characters in Kotwik Anzee. Kotwik Anzee, come again? Well, you'll be there in a minute. So shall we bring up the curtain, Mr. Kidder? I'm in favor of it, Mr. Conner. Okay. Here's Act One of Victor Herbert's The Red Mill. Mr. Conductor, if you please. Conn, what do you want to go to Europe for? Romance, boy. Have you got any romance in your soul? Sure I have, but what's so romantic about Europe? Why, we can visit all the ancient capitals. Pays on the enchanting scenery. Drink in the grandeur of Europe's historic majesty. Besides, we might even meet some good-looking babe. Well, I'm for that. Not that there aren't plenty of them right here in America. If a spare afternoon you should happen to have and you start on a leisurely stroll up Fifth Avenue, there is where, with hot air, you'll see them as they walk. With velvets and laces and sables and folding them. Really, you'll nearly drop dead on beholding them. Lucky's the girl who can marry a girl from Fifth Avenue. They're sweet and fair for mine. You cannot see in Dave Parry in London or in court. The queens you'll meet are... Just the same kid. I want to make the trip. Well, you could go to Paris and marry a French Countess. Or go to Holland, marry Dutch Duchess. When there's a boat sail. Tomorrow. Let's go! Goodbye, our kiss for you. We haven't got any. Hey, uh, what about using those bottle caps? How do you think I tip the porter at the railroad station? Well, we gotta find a place to sleep tonight. And it's gotta be cheap sleep. Hey, let's ask that little foiline over there. Okay. Hey, Mabel. Yes? Miss, we can't afford a hotel room. Any idea where we can sleep tonight? Well, I don't know. How about that red mill? We can just sneak inside and sleep there. How about it be real warm and comfortable? Yeah. Very cozy. Just the three of you. Three? You two and the ghost. Yeah, that mill is haunted. Every night at midnight, the ghost of a poor unhappy bride rises up and walks to the red mill, searching for a lost lover, Henry. Thank you and good night, red mill. Say, tell me, miss, how do you know about all this? Well, I live in this town. I'm the daughter of the burger master. Oh, what's your name? Gretchen. What's yours? Connor. What do they call me, kid? Mine's kidder, but they call me card. Oh, American. Yes, you are rich, American. We are American, yes. We are rich, no. Oh, how sad. I am rich, yet I too am sad. Girls, don't be silly. I'll get anybody to be rich and sad at the same time. But tomorrow is my wedding day. Tomorrow by this time I shall be the wife of the fat old governor of Zealand. If you don't love him, why marry him? I'm just like the ghost in the red mill. My father is forcing me into this marriage. Look, a pretty girl like you shouldn't worry. Everything will work out. Gretchen, you've got nothing to worry about. The roval boys are here. I used to be happy. I used to sing all the time. Well, why stop now? Oh, trouble, there'll be enough of that hero. Be happy while we make... Not an idea. Gretchen can't marry the governor of Zealand tomorrow if she marries somebody. Marry me on such short notice. Well, anybody in his right mind, I'll marry you right now. Why, you hardly know me. You think of a better way to get acquainted? You see, in America we do things fast. Why, I'm falling in love with you at 80 miles an hour. And wait until he shifts into second gear. You take my breath away. I don't understand how this happens so fast. You haven't seen very many musical comedies, have you, girl? Well, I can give you a pretty simple explanation. Love is a strange little elf in sprites, blessed with the deadliest aim. Shooting his arrows to left and glad surprise, almost too good to be true. The people go to this country when they want to get married. To the burgamaster. Who's the burgamaster here? But we'll have to go to the next town. Come with us, Conn. You can be the best man and give the bride away. Yes, young friend. Father! Have you forgotten, my dear Gretchen, the ceremony is to be tomorrow, not tonight. It is to be held here, not in the next town. And the bridegroom, not this silly young American, but his excellency, the governor of Zealand. Hey, you're pretty high-handed, Mr. Burgamister. A girl can marry anyone she chooses back where we come from in a little old New York. Well, this is little old Katwick on Z. Gretchen, since you seem to be so fond of this old red mill, I think I should lock you up here overnight. No! And here you shall stay until the governor arrives to lead you to the altar. Oh, Father! You can't lock her up. You can't do this. You can't force her to. You can't... I guess you can. Good day, gentlemen. I trust your stay in our village would be both enjoyable and brief. I think I've seen that guy someplace before. Yeah, on a beer mug. Gretchen, Gretchen, are you all right? It's so dark. Have you seen the ghost? No, not yet. Oh, when you see her, ask her if she's got a friend. A live one. Listen, Gretchen, you stay right there. Oh, she'll do that all right. We'll find some way to get you out. And if you get scared, why just sing? That's the best way to keep your spirits up. And I'll sing along with you outside the mill. Before the start of the second act of the Red Mill, let's do what most everybody else is doing and talk about high prices. We've all felt them, and that goes for the railroads just the same as it does for anyone else. Let's look at it this way. You buy groceries and fuel and maybe a new car. Well, the railroads also buy groceries and fuel and new cars and locomotives and 100,000 different things that it takes to keep the trains running. Yes, sir, the railroads feel higher prices too and are just as concerned about them as folks in general. Yes, yes, I know. But I've heard it said that higher railroad rates have had a lot to do with the rise in prices. No, the fact is it's just the other way. Higher prices came first long before there was any increase in railroad rates. And they made higher rates necessary. Between 1939 and the middle of 1946, the level of wholesale prices of all kinds of things had gone up an average of 43%. 43%? Yes, and it was only then on the 1st of July, 1946 that the first post-war railroad rate increase of 6.5% went into effect. Now, you wouldn't say that rising railroad rates caused that rise in prices, would you? But rates hadn't increased. All right, all right, but how about today? The latest government figures show that the prices of commodities at wholesale are 107% higher than they were in 1939. And railroad freight rates are how much higher? As of tomorrow, when new rates go into effect, railroad freight rates will have increased 52% above 1939, less than half as much as the increase in prices generally. What about the prices railroads have to pay for things they buy and use? Well, the biggest item in railroad expenses is wages, and wage levels are up 83% above 1939. The next biggest is materials, supplies, and fuel, and they're up 118%. The fact is increased freight rates are the effect of rising prices and wages, not their cause. We're ready for the second act of Victor Herbert's The Red Mill, starring Gene Kelly, Lucille Norman, and your host, Gordon McRae. The night was still, but ghosts like the mill kept waving expecto arms. And those around heard mystical sounds which drilled them with vagal arms. It's awfully quiet. Yeah, I never heard so much silence. Hey, hey, what are those voices? Just the wind. What's that? Just the old mill turning. Looks just like a person, doesn't it? Waving his arms in the moonlight, crying out for help. I want to go home. The Empire State Building never affected me like this. But the girl I love is inside there. But the boy I love is outside here. Gretchen! Gretchen! Are you all right? Gretchen! She's gone. She's smart. Let's us go, too. No, wait a minute. You don't suppose the ghost is kidnapped her? I don't know, but there's a figure up there in the Tower of the Mill, all white in the moonlight. Is it Gretchen or the ghost? I can't tell from here, but it begins with a G. Gretchen, is that you? Are we going to get you out? Never get me out. Oh, I can't see your face in the moonlight. But I know you're as lovely as the moonbeams themselves. We've got to get Gretchen out of there. We can't let her marry the old governor of Zealand. I'm in love with her. A fine thing. Millions of girls in this world and you have to fall in love with one who's locked up in a mill. This boy always does things the hard way. Now, wait a minute. Condons, you ever fall in love? Sure. 365 times a year. Every day? Sure. With a different girl? I don't eat the same egg every morning for breakfast. Every day is ladies' day with me. I'm quite at their disposal all the while and my pleasure it is double if they come to me in trouble for I always find a way to make them smile. No doubt I should have married long ago. It's the proper thing to do, you'll all agree. But I never could find any fun in wasting all my time. Now it's a frightful thing to think of all the hearts that I have broken, though each one fell in love with me without the slightest token. Among my vulgar creditors, I'm fearfully in debt because I have afforded anything that I could get. But I must say that I've enjoyed the best of what there is in life. I've been lucky in my love affairs. I've never had a wife. And I don't begrudge the little dears, those necklaces of pearls. All the money that I've ever saved is what I've spent on girls. Every day is ladies' day with me. Every day is ladies' day with me. I'm quite at their disposal all the while and my pleasure it is double if they come to me in trouble for I always find a way to make them smile. No doubt I should have married long ago. It's the proper thing to do, you'll all agree. But I never could find any fun in wasting all my time. Ladies' day with me. So you want to play the field, go ahead. But how are we going to get Gretchen out of the mill? I wonder who side the ghost is on. Wait a minute. I got an idea. Watch the blades in the mill. Now suppose you grabbed hold of one of the wings when it screeched close to the ground. Hang on to it, swing on up and over the top. And rescue Gretchen out of the tower window on the way down. Now come on, Conn, go ahead and do it. I'll stay right here and direct the whole maneuver. Great idea. Great. There's only one little change I'd like to suggest. What's that? You do it. I'll stay down here. Okay, okay, she's my girl, I'll do anything for her. Gretchen, can you hear me? Yes. Look, I'm going to try to rescue you. Climb up the stairs on the inside of the mill all the way up to the tower window. Swing up on one of the arms of the mill and rescue you. Be careful, she said. Well, good luck, kid. Hey, be sure you get the right one. Right one? What do you mean? Well, don't get the ghost by mistake. Well, I'll make sure it's Gretchen. As soon as you grab her, kiss her. She tastes like an ice cube. You've got the wrong girl. Okay, here I go. Come on, kid. Oh, boy, ours. Gretchen, me now. Are you all right, Gretchen? Fine. Now nobody can say you two haven't been going around together. Thank you for getting me out of that awful mill. Ah, it was nothing. Well, now we've got to get away from your father. Where'll we go? Oh, any place. Just so it doesn't have a burgamaster and it does have you. I want to stay here and see the look on the burgamaster's face tomorrow morning when he unlocks the door of the red mill and finds a great big beautiful nothing. Mr. Burgamister? Master. Master Burgamister? Mr. Burgamaster. Good morning. Good morning. That doesn't matter. What brings you out to the mill so early, Mr. Burgamister? Just checking up on my daughter. Too late. She's already checked out. What? Where is she? Gretchen, are you in there? Gretchen, what became of her? Where did she go? Well, wake up the townspeople. Gather round, Dickens. I'll make them which they never said put in cutlery con zee. And you might hear it said that higher freight rates have a lot to do with higher prices. As we said a little while ago, it's the other way round. At the end of the war, railroad freight rates were no higher than they were when war began. In fact, the prices of commodities generally and the operating costs of railroads had already gone up more than 40% before there was any post-war increase in railroad freight rates. Even with the new rates which go into effect tomorrow, the percentage of increase in rail freight rates will be less than half as great as the increase in price levels generally. One more thing to remember. Since the war, railroad freight charges have amounted on the average to a smaller fraction of the price of things you buy than they did either during or before the war. Our show train will return in just a moment after a brief pause for station identification. Three of Victor Herbert's The Red Mill starring Jean Kelly, Lucille Norman and your railroad our host, Gordon McRae. By the silence, was there violence or did not be granted simply up and run away? If not really, very clearly, very clearly they should stop the silly gossiping without delay. But to handle what master in a very sorry client you discover, you discover, she the lover, she the lover, and she secretly eloped with him last night. No, quiet! Stop all this noise and gossiping! Quiet! Quiet, all of you! Quiet! I suppose all of you know that my daughter has disappeared and I intend to find her and she will marry the governor of Zeeland according to plan. How are you going to find her, Mr. Burgamaster? I have just learned that the two greatest detectives in the world are visiting Holland. Mr. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Yes, yes, they are just a few miles from here and I'm sending them a telegraph message to come at once and find my daughter. I shall spare no expense. Money is no object. Money is no object? None. Is that the telegram you have there in your hand? It is. Do you want me to send it for you, Mr. Burgamaster? Well, that's very kind of you, my boy. But let me warn all of you, if the culprit happens to be within ear shots, he may as well give himself up now. For Sherlock Holmes will run him down. Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Conner. We aren't Mr. and Mrs. Yes. No, he didn't get married. Why not? No money. Boy, have I got the cure for that. Look at this telegram. It's awful. Sherlock Holmes will be sure to find you. I don't think he's that good. You see, he never got the telegram. Kid, your new name is Dr. Watson. Shake hands with Sherlock Holmes. Oh, I'm beginning to get it. Sure, it's as simple as going around on a windmill. We masquerade as the detectives and make enough money to get you married. Well... There's only one trouble. You've never really asked me to marry you. Haven't I? Well, I... I guess we better make this official. He'll tell... Why, it's simple. You just take in your arms. He'll look into your eyes and you say, Maybe. Here I am. You're a dream man. Don't point it. How can you resist me? Well, I'm afraid that's a little too modest for me. It's got to be something tender. Gretchen. Yes? I... I want you to marry me. Will you do it? Is that yes? It's Dutch for yes, but it's just as good. We're going to start being Dr. Watson. We've got some plain and fancy Sherlock-ing to do. Dr. Watson, how do I look? Oh, very Baker Street, Mr. Holmes. Am I wearing my deer stalker cap correctly? Well, I... I don't think you're supposed to wear it sideways. What if you're stalking deer sideways? Careful. Here comes the burger master. Gentlemen. Here we go now. Aha! You are the burger master of Cutwick, Honsey. Why, that's amazing. How would you know me, Mr. Holmes? Elementary. Elementary, my dear burger master. But far beyond your powers of deduction. I want you to meet my assistant and eminent colleague, the celebrated Dr. Watson. Ah, sir, I'm... I'm delighted to make it so awesome. Well, from the way he talks, he must be British. If he were any more British, he couldn't talk at all. Just a moment. Just a moment. You two look awfully familiar to me. We do? All faces be familiar to you. Our pictures have blazing the front pages of every newspaper in England and the continent. Dr. Watson, your beard is slipping. Oh, dear me, dear me. Now, Mr. Holmes, Dr. Watson, about my daughter. Her name is Gretchen. How did you know? It's obvious. Yes, it's obvious. What did you say? What did you say, Dr. Watson? Mr. Burger Master, I am the only man living who can understand Dr. Watson. I see. Now, how much will you charge, Mr. Holmes, to recover my daughter? I'm glad you brought that up. Our price depends on the difficulty of the job. Is your daughter young? Yes. Quite beautiful? Then it will be very expensive. Because, as everybody knows, girls are very hard to find these days. How much shall we charge, Dr. Watson? Dr. Watson says... It says, and I quote, 555 guilders. 555 guilders? That's a great deal of money. Now, when did she disappear? Oh, about midnight. As long ago as that, or makes it much more difficult. How much, Dr. Watson? Dr. Watson says... It says, and again, I quote, 5,555 guilders. Oh, dear. Now, where did she disappear from? From the old man real. Oh, from the old man real. Where? The red mill. Oh! Quite a beautiful young girl who has disappeared at midnight from all red mills falls in our highest price bracket. Dr. Watson, what is our highest price bracket? It's only about a pretty price to me. 5,550... A five. How much is that? Well, remember, we've got to pay our agents 10%. Very well, it's a deal. I'll pay you the minute you deliver my daughter. Oh, we must have the money in advance. Why? Well, we have enormous expenses, you know. Magnifying glasses, hound's-tooth jackets, blood hounds, all that. I see, I see. Very well, I'll pay you the money and I demand that you bring my daughter to this very spot, no later than four o'clock this afternoon, in time for her wedding to the governor of Zeeland. Where did you get all that money? The burgamaster just paid off like a slot machine. Look, kid, Gretchen, take this money, go to the next town and get married. I'll stay here and stall the burgamaster until you get back, okay? Stop talking like that now, Dr. Watson. And look, another thing, you better give Gretchen your beard. I'd hate to have anybody recognize her on the street. Oh, are we really going to get married? We're getting to look like it. Oh, Gretchen, I love you. And do you know why? Okay, okay, we know you love each other. Now look, sweetie, we got all this money for finding you. Now, get lost. Home said one minute and 15 seconds will be four o'clock. And if you don't produce my daughter by then, I'll have you thrown in jail. Mr. Burgamaster, I don't think you like me. Like you? I am all of you. I think you're an imposter. I don't think you're Sherlock Holmes at all. Of course I'm Sherlock Holmes. Well, here's the telegram I received from you. Let me see that. My wife, this telegram is in my own handwriting. What better proof do you want? Your time is up, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. My daughter isn't here, and I want my money back, you swindler. Just a minute. Listen. What is that? Sounds like a duet. Is that my daughter? You believe in the ghost in the old Red Mill? Certainly not. Well, and that's your daughter. Gretchen, Gretchen, come in here. You're just in time for your wedding to the governor. There's been a little change in plans, Mr. Burgamaster. I can't marry the governor. Oh, yes you can. But I'm already married to Mr. Connors. I don't, uh... I think the Burgamaster has just blown a gasket. Gretchen, let's get away from here. Where do we go? To the Isle of Our Dreams. I can recommend a better island. Where? Where? Manhattan. Could someone from Holland be happy there? Well, Edith Stuyvesant likes it. In old New York, in old New York The peach crops always fine They're sweet and fair And on the square The maids of Manhattan for mine The seedlings you cannot see If they bury in London or in Cork The breeze you'll meet But Edith Stuyvesant is home Next week our show train will arrive On the same tracks at the same time And on board will be Miss Jeanette MacDonald To join me in bringing you one of the greatest Screen successes, Notty Marietta. Looks as though we're ready to pull out Until next week, goodbye. The Red Mill has been presented by Special Arrangement With the Tams Whitmark Music Library Jean Kelly is currently starred In Metro Golden Mayors All-Star Technicolor Musical