Pete's Dragon is a 1977 American live-action/animated musical fantasy film directed by Don Chaffey, produced by Jerome Courtland and Ron Miller, and written by Malcolm Marmorstein. Based on the unpublished short story "Pete's Dragon and the USA (Forever After)" by Seton I. Miller and S. S. Field, the film stars Sean Marshall, Helen Reddy, Jim Dale, Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, Jeff Conaway, Shelley Winters, and the voice of Charlie Callas as Elliott.
The project was initially conceived in 1957 as a two-part episode of the Disneyland television series, but it was shelved until it was revived as a musical film in 1975. The film was released on November 3, 1977 to mixed reviews from critics, though some praised the animation. It was a moderate financial success, grossing $18 million over a $10 million budget.
The film received two nominations at the 50th Academy Awards, for musical scoring and original song. Capitol Records released a single of Reddy performing "Candle on the Water" (with a different arrangement from that in the film) that reached #27 on the Adult Contemporary charts.
I can't remember when I bought this film, I've had this film for as long as I can remember. This is and always will be one of my all-time favorite Disney movies.
Plot:
In New England in the early 1900s, an orphan slave named Pete rides his invisible dragon Elliott in the woods, fleeing from the Gogans, an abusive family that purchased Pete to work their farm. The family sings about how they'll treat him better if he returns, while contrastingly expressing their true intentions to punish him severely ("The Happiest Home in These Hills"). Elliott swings his tail, knocking the Gogans into the mud. After they leave, Pete falls asleep in a log.
Pete and Elliott visit Passamaquoddy, where the unseen Elliott's clumsiness causes Pete to be labelled a source of bad luck. Lampie, the lighthouse keeper, stumbles out of a tavern and encounters Pete. Elliott makes himself visible and Lampie, terrified, runs to the townsfolk ("I Saw a Dragon"). Naturally, they shake this off as another drunken rant, when his daughter, Nora, arrives. Afterwards, she leads him back to the lighthouse and puts him to bed. In a seaside cave Pete scolds Elliott for causing trouble. As they make up, Lampie's daughter Nora appears, warning that Pete isn't safe staying in there because of the ongoing tides from the sea. When she realizes he's orphaned and not from the area, she offers him food and shelter at the lighthouse and he accepts.
Pete tells Nora of the abuse he suffered from the Gogans, and as she offers to let him spend the night at the lighthouse, they strike up a friendship (“It’s Not Easy”). He learns the story of her fiancé Paul, whose ship was reported lost at sea the year before. He promises to ask Elliott about Paul. She believes that Elliott is Pete's imaginary friend.
The next morning, itinerant quack Dr. Terminus and his assistant Hoagy arrive and win over the gullible townspeople, who were initially angered by their return (“Passamaquoddy”). Lampie and Hoagy go to prove whether or not Elliot is real, but despite interacting with him for some time, they still cannot get anyone to believe he exists. The next day the local fishermen complain about the scarcity of fish and believe it's Pete's fault. Nora tells them the fishing grounds shift from time to time and Pete should be welcomed into town. She takes him to start school, where the teacher, Miss Taylor, punishes him unfairly for Elliott's antics. An enraged Elliott smashes into the schoolhouse, leaving his shape in the wall, as Pete runs off. Pete turns down Dr. Terminus' offer for Elliott but accepts Nora and Lampie's invitation to live with them permanently. When the Gogans come to town to demand him back, Nora refuses to hand him over. As the Gogans attempt to chase them in a small boat, Elliott "torpedoes" it, saving Pete ("Bill of Sale"). Dr. Terminus teams up with the Gogans to capture both Pete and Elliott. He also convinces the superstitious locals that helping him capture Elliott will solve their problems.
That evening, a storm blows in. At sea, a ship approaches Passamaquoddy with Paul on board. Dr. Terminus lures Pete to the boathouse while Hoagy does the same to Elliott. Once there, the invisible Elliott is caught in a net trap, but he frees himself, saves Pete, and confronts the Gogans. Lena yells at him, claiming Pete is their property, and waves her bill of sale at him, which he torches. Now completely defenseless, they flee after he frightens them away. As he and Pete laugh, Dr. Terminus makes one more effort to harpoon him, but his leg is caught in the rope and he is sent catapulting through the ceiling and screams as he goes through it, ending up dangling upside down near a utility pole. In a last-ditch effort, he offers to buy Elliott's "spare parts"; Elliott declines and proceeds to destroy Dr. Terminus' traveling wagon, ending his scamming business.
Elliott then saves the Mayor, Miss Taylor, and the members of the Town Board from a falling utility pole, revealing himself to them. Back at the lighthouse, the lamp has been extinguished by a storm-driven rogue wave. Elliott returns and lights it with his own fire. As he does, Nora sees that he is real. The light is ignited and the ship is saved. The next morning, the Mayor and the townsfolk praise Elliott for his help, and Nora is reunited with Paul, who was the sole survivor of a shipwreck at Cape Hatteras and suffered amnesia. Now that Pete has a loving family, Elliott tells him he must move on to help another child in trouble, and is sad that they must part. Pete comforts Elliott by telling him if that anyone can help that kid, he can. Elliott then happily flies away as Pete and his new family wave good-bye to him. Pete happily reminding him once again he is supposed to be invisible.
{I highly recommend you listen to the soundtrack first - that's how I introduce myself to musicals, by listening to the songs I judge whether the movie is worth my time. That depends on you though}
Music:
The film's songs were written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn. Irwin Kostal composed the score. "Candle on the Water" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
* "The Happiest Home in These Hills" Shelley Winters, Charles Tyner, Gary Morgan & Jeff Conaway.
* "Boo Bop Bop Bop Bop (I Love You, Too)" Sean Marshall & Charlie Callas.
* "I Saw a Dragon" Mickey Rooney, Helen Reddy & Chorus.
* "It's Not Easy" Helen Reddy & Sean Marshall5."Passamaquoddy"Jim Dale, Red Buttons & Chorus.
* "There's Room for Everyone" Helen Reddy, Sean Marshall & Chorus.
* "Every Little Piece" Jim Dale & Red Buttons.
* "Brazzle Dazzle Day" Helen Reddy, Sean Marshall & Mickey Rooney.
* "Bill of Sale" Shelley Winters, Charles Tyner, Gary Morgan, Jeff Conaway & Helen Reddy.
* "I Saw a Dragon (Reprise)" Chorus.
* "Brazzle Dazzle Day (Reprise)" Chorus.
My Review:
By far this movie ranks up to my 'Top 5 Disney Films', alongside: 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame', 'Treasure Planet', 'Muppet's Treasure Island' and 'Return To Oz' {These will be mentioned in future reviews}. The whole classic musical feel and just tone, story and, most of all, the music is timeless. The acting is phenomenal, Helen Reddy makes the movie - her voice is gorgeous, she sings the best songs (Candle On The Water is the best song). It's kinda sad that this is forgotten or unknown amongst most younger fans of Disney.
Overall, I highly recommend this movie - I bet ya if you asked your parents about this film they'd remember it. I rate this move a 8.5/10!
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