Do you want some butter?

I got thinking about my favourite episode of The Wonder Years tonight. (I recognized the narrator's voice in a commercial). I thought it would be appropriate to share part of a scene from that favorite episode. Enjoy.

(Kevin is in French class on the first day of school. He noticed a new girl who is cute.)

NARRATOR: And suddenly I understood why French was the language of diplomacy, of poetry, of romance…

[KEVIN turns toward MADELINE, puts his eyes on her again and stands up.] [Swell of music.]

NARRATOR: ... of amore… [Editor's remark: "Amore" is not French but Italian.]

[A halo of light comes up behind KEVIN.]

NARRATOR: Suddenly I understood every single word..

[A halo of light glows behind MADELINE as she turns to KEVIN. She speaks directly to him.] ["French countryside " organ music starts.]

MADELINE: J'ai attendu toute ma vie pour toi.
[Subtitle: I've waited for you all my life.]

KEVIN: Voulez-vous de beurre?
[Subtitle: Do you want some butter?]

MADELINE: A l'instant je t'ai vu, je n'ai su qu'il etait personne d'autre.
[Subtitle: The moment I saw you I knew there was no one else.]

KEVIN: Voulez-vous de beurre?
[Subtitle: Do you want some butter?]

MADELINE: Mon coeur est toute pleine de toi.
[Subtitle: You fill my heart.] [MADELINE fingers her heart necklace.]

MADELINE: J'ai en pense a toi.
[Subtitle: .. You haunt my mind.]

KEVIN: Voulez-vous de beurre?
[Subtitle: Do you want some butter?]

NARRATOR: Hey, that was the only thing I knew in French.

MADELINE: Kevin! (With a French accent)

KEVIN: Madeline! (With an American accent) [Music ends.]

MRS. FALCINELLA: Kevin!!
[KEVIN turns around as the class laughs.]

MRS. FALCINELLA: En francais, s'il vous plait!
[The class laughs.]


I loved this scene so much I managed to work "voulez-vous de beurre?" into every single French dialogue assingment in grade 10. My teacher was very confused. The true genius was that my sister continued the tradition with the same teacher for grade 10 french.