The Reluctant Dragon poster

The Reluctant Dragon Quotes

"The big feature show with a thousand surprises!"

G 1941 · 1h 14m
66
Audience
66
Audience
17 quotes
Missed Opportunities and Delayed Reactions
Mrs. Benchley 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?
[sighs]
Robert Benchley Aw, phooey! Phooey!
[as Donald Duck; quacking furiously]
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 He talks!
[gasps]
Baby Weems Why? Is it against the rules?
Nurse Oh, Doctor!
[faints]
A Dragon's Promise of Peace
The Dragon I promise not to rant or roar, and scourge the countryside anymore!
A Pact Sealed in Uncertainty
Sir Giles Uh, the time has come, you know.
The Dragon You mean...I die now?
[clapping excitedly]
Sir Giles Oh yes indeed. As per-agreed, we'll seal our pact, old thing. Take that!
[placing the lance under the Dragon's arm]
A Positive Expression of Approval
The Dragon Well, that's splendid!
A Show Filled with Surprises
Taglines The big feature show with a thousand surprises!
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.
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?
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.
The Delight of a Fresh Radish
Sir Giles 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.
[eats radish]
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 Tis evening from the stars above, A soft mysterious light brings thoughts of friendship, joy and love. Now how bout that fight?
[shouts]
A Journey Under the Stars
Mrs. Benchley 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.
[first line of the film; reading; is interrupted by a toy rifle going off; toy rifle again]
Robert Benchley Go on, I can hear in any position.
[shoots a dart at a duck decoy in the pool]
Mrs. Benchley 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.
[continues reading]
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 Robert, I have a wonderful idea. We'll sell this book to ].
[[Walt Disney]
Robert Benchley Well, you can't. It belongs to your nephew. So does this, too. I wonder what he'd take for it.
[looks at rifle]
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 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.
[stands up on raft; falls through and bubbles come out of his mouth]
MULTIPLANE TECHNICOLOR Sequences in The Reluctant Dragon
Taglines Sequences in MULTIPLANE TECHNICOLOR (original print media ad - many caps)
Discussion on Background and Reindeer Placement
Doris ] in front of her] Like it?
[holding up a cel of [[Bambi]
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 And very cunning, too. I'd like to take him home with me. What do you know? He took me seriously.
[Bambi suddenly comes to life, hides behind a rock in the background, and peaks his head]
A New World of Disney Wonders
Taglines A NEW WORLD OF WALT DISNEY WONDERS! (original print media ad - all caps)
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 ♪
Walt Disney's New Full-Length Feature Production
Taglines Walt Disney's AMAZING, NEW FULL-LENGTH FEATURE PRODUCTION (original print media ad - many caps)