The Reluctant Dragon (1941) - Quotes

MULTIPLANE TECHNICOLOR Sequences in The Reluctant Dragon

Taglines: Sequences in MULTIPLANE TECHNICOLOR (original print media ad - many caps)

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Walt Disney's New Full-Length Feature Production

Taglines: Walt Disney's AMAZING, NEW FULL-LENGTH FEATURE PRODUCTION (original print media ad - many caps)

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A New World of Disney Wonders

Taglines: A NEW WORLD OF WALT DISNEY WONDERS! (original print media ad - all caps)

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A Show Filled with Surprises

Taglines: The big feature show with a thousand surprises!

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Missed Opportunities and Delayed Reactions

Mrs. Benchley: [sighs] So while you were shilly-shallying, they made the picture. I never knew it to fail. In all the years that I've known you, you've always been too late. Really, Robert, I can't understand why you're forever letting these opportunities slip through your fingers. Anyone would've thought of it in time, months ago. But you... Well, why don't you say something?

Robert Benchley: [as Donald Duck; quacking furiously] Aw, phooey! Phooey!

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A Pact Sealed in Uncertainty

Sir Giles: Uh, the time has come, you know.

The Dragon: [clapping excitedly] You mean...I die now?

Sir Giles: [placing the lance under the Dragon's arm] Oh yes indeed. As per-agreed, we'll seal our pact, old thing. Take that!

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A Poetic Moment of Friendship and Adventure

The Boy: Do you mind if I recite a poem?

The Dragon: You, boy? Why, well, oh, not at all!

Sir Giles: Oh, of course, of course. Rather, rather!

The Boy: [shouts] Tis evening from the stars above, A soft mysterious light brings thoughts of friendship, joy and love. Now how bout that fight?

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A Conversation About Battles and Misunderstandings

The Boy: Have you had any nice battles lately?

The Dragon: Battles? Oh, no, no, no battles. No.

The Boy: Oh. Oh, probably too busy scourging the countryside and devouring fair damsels, then.

The Dragon: Scourging? Devouring? Good heavens, no.

The Boy: But don't you ever do anything desperate?

The Dragon: Well, yes, I...I do make up poetry.

The Boy: Poetry?

The Dragon: Verses, you know? Care to hear my latest sonnet?

The Boy: Well, I...

The Dragon: Oh, you'll love this. I call it, "Just A-Drifting". ♪ Just a-drifting o'er the leaves ♪

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A Conversation About the Dragon

The Boy: Sir Giles, I presume?

Sir Giles: Come, come, come, come, lad. Stop mumbling.

The Boy: I came to talk about the dragon.

Sir Giles: Ah, yes, yes, yes. Another tale of woe and misery, I suppose. Devoured your flocks, no doubt.

The Boy: Oh, no, sir. He...

Sir Giles: Aha! Made off with your loving parents, has he? Well, they shall be avenged!

The Boy: But you don't understand...

Sir Giles: What? Don't tell me he's kidnapped some fair damsel, with flaxen hair, and ruby lips, and form divine? Why, he can't do that to her! He shall pay dearly on the field of battle.

The Boy: But that's just it. He won't fight.

Sir Giles: Yes. He...He won't fight? Preposterous! The fellow must be an infernal cad. Bit of a rotter, what?

The Boy: He is not. He's a nice old dragon who likes to write poetry.

Sir Giles: Poetry?

The Boy: Yes. You know, verses?

Sir Giles: How jolly! Ha ha! I'm a bit of a bard myself, you know.

The Boy: You a poet, too?

Sir Giles: Yes. No doubt you've heard of my Ode to a Fleecy Cloud?

The Boy: Well, I...

Sir Giles: Oh fleecy cloud, O cloud of fleece, up in the sky so high...Oh. Oh, my.

The Boy: Oh, my.

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Curiosity About Communication Rules

Nurse: You're a quiet little fellow, aren't you?

Baby Weems: Well, there really isn't much to talk about.

Nurse: [gasps] He talks!

Baby Weems: Why? Is it against the rules?

Nurse: [faints] Oh, Doctor!

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A Question of Train Wrecking Preferences

Doris: How did you like it?

Robert Benchley: Oh, fine, fine. Only after all, wouldn't it be a lot easier just to wreck a real train?

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Demonstrating Movement in Animation

Robert Benchley: Yeah, but he still doesn't move.

Donald Duck: Just a minute, big boy. Give me time, give me time!

Donald Duck: Look, I'll show ya. I'll show ya. Now look. First my foot is up here, see?

Robert Benchley: Uh-huh.

Donald Duck: Then, it's down here, understand?

Robert Benchley: Now I get it.

Donald Duck: Like this...

Robert Benchley: Yeah.

Donald Duck: And this...

Robert Benchley: I see.

Donald Duck: And that. See?

Robert Benchley: Sure.

Donald Duck: When I do it faster, I'm walking. Get it?

Robert Benchley: Yeah, certainly.

Discussion on Background and Reindeer Placement

Doris: [holding up a cel of [[Bambi] ] in front of her] Like it?

Robert Benchley: I'd be all right if you could get that reindeer out of the way.

Doris: I'll see if I can scare up the background that goes with it.

Robert Benchley: Nothing wrong with the one I just saw.

Doris: Thanks. This is his background. He fits right on top of it, like this. There.

Robert Benchley: [Bambi suddenly comes to life, hides behind a rock in the background, and peaks his head] And very cunning, too. I'd like to take him home with me. What do you know? He took me seriously.

A Journey Under the Stars

Mrs. Benchley: [first line of the film; reading; is interrupted by a toy rifle going off; toy rifle again] So they set off up the hill, arm in arm, the knight, the dragon, and the boy. The lights in the little village began to go out one by one." "But there were stars and a late moon as they climbed the downs together." Robert, please.

Robert Benchley: [shoots a dart at a duck decoy in the pool] Go on, I can hear in any position.

Mrs. Benchley: [continues reading] And as they turned the last corner and disappeared from view, snatches of an old song were borne back on the night breeze. I can't be certain which of them was singing, but I think it was the dragon.

Robert Benchley: Go on, I'm listening.

Mrs. Benchley: That was the end, and a very lovely end, too.

Robert Benchley: Yeah, charming, charming. It's funny. No matter which way I aim, I always hit the same duck.

Mrs. Benchley: [[Walt Disney] Robert, I have a wonderful idea. We'll sell this book to ].

Robert Benchley: [looks at rifle] Well, you can't. It belongs to your nephew. So does this, too. I wonder what he'd take for it.

Mrs. Benchley: I mean the idea, for a movie. I'm sure if you went to his studio and suggested it to him, he'd jump at it.

Robert Benchley: Me suggest a story to Walt Disney? Why, I hardly know him.

Mrs. Benchley: Well, you hardly knew me when you suggested marriage.

Robert Benchley: Yeah, look at the trouble I got into. He can't listen to every crackpot with a wild idea.

Mrs. Benchley: You might be the exception. All you would have to do would be to go to his studio and show him the book.

Robert Benchley: I wouldn't dream of it!

Mrs. Benchley: They're always open to new ideas. Get your things on, and stop shilly-shallying.

Robert Benchley: [stands up on raft; falls through and bubbles come out of his mouth] I am not shillying and I am not shallying. But once and for all, I will not go to the studio. I will not make myself look ridiculous. And that's final.

The Delight of a Fresh Radish

Sir Giles: [eats radish] Radish so red. Radish so red. Plucked from the heart of your warm little bed. Sprinkled with salt on the top of your head. Delicious.