An American Tail

An American Tail Quotes

While emigrating to the United States, a young Russian mouse gets separated from his family and must relocate them while trying to survive in a new country.

Tiger: You lost your family? Oh, dear. That's terrible. I lost my family, too. Years ago, I mean.
[Starts sobbing]
Tiger: Eight brothers. Ten sisters. Three fathers.
Tony Toponi: Stick with me, kid.
[Fievel holds on tightly to Tony's arm]
Tony Toponi: Hey, hey, hey! What, are we engaged or something?
Honest John: [At the wake of Mickey O'Hare] Poor lad. So young. He never had a chance to vote. Well, he'll vote from now on. I'll make sure of that.
[Writes Mickey's name on a notebook under "Ghost Votes"]
Mama Mousekewitz: It's the end of the world.
Papa Mousekewitz: No, it's worse.
Papa Mousekewitz: Ah, so, Mr Curious, you've discovered the herring.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Herring? I thought they were fish.
Papa Mousekewitz: But Fievel, herring are fish.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Really, Papa?
Papa Mousekewitz: Oh, yes. In the ocean, there are many kinds of fish, and herring is one of them.
Fievel Mousekewitz: All kinds?
Papa Mousekewitz: Yes. Tiny fishes, not so tiny fishes, fishes as big as this boat.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Wow! Let's go up and see the fish.
Papa Mousekewitz: And for you, Fievel, a new hat. And not just any new hat. A new hat that has been in the family for three generations. It belonged to me, my father, and my father's father, and now it belongs to you. Happy Hannukah.
Fievel Mousekewitz: It's too big.
Mama Mousekewitz: You'll grow.
[after the cats have just raided the marketplace]
Mama Mousekewitz: Well Mister there are no WHATS in America, hmm?
Papa Mousekewitz: [laughs nervosuly] Cats.
Orphan #1: So what's your story?
Fievel Mousekewitz: I'm looking for my family.
Orphan #2: Hey, fellas! He's looking for his family.
Orphan #1, Orphan #3: [Teasing] He's looking for his family!
Orphan #3: I stopped looking a long time ago.
Orphan #2: At least you know who they are.
Orphan #1: Besides, why are you looking for them? They should be looking...
Orphan #1, Orphan #2, Orphan #3: ...for you!
Orphan #3: They don't care. Forget 'em.
Fievel Mousekewitz: [Angry] You're right! They don't care, and if they did, they would have found me! Well, if they don't care, I don't care! I hope I never see them again!
Orphan #2: Yeah! Forget about them! You're one of us now!
Orphan #1: Here. Make yourself a bed.
[They toss hay over Fievel]
Orphan #1: Ha-ha-ha! Pitiful.
Fievel Mousekewitz: [Crying] I'll never find them anyway. Never. Never. Never. This is my home now.
Gussie Mausheimer: Wewease the secwet weapon.
Gussie Mausheimer: I never dweamt this morning I'd be widing a fewine.
Tiger: [laughs] A fewine?
Gussie Mausheimer: A cat!
Tiger: I knew that, I knew that.
Warren T. Rat: How did he get away, Tiger?
Tiger: I let him take advantage of me.
Warren T. Rat: You're fired, Tiger.
Tiger: Good. I never liked you. And besides, your music stinks.
Gussie Mausheimer: Money is not everything. I know, because I have money and I have everything.
Henri: I know, my little immigrant. You want to find your family. And you will.
Fievel Mousekewitz: But how? They're so far away, and it's so big. I'll never find them.
Henri: Excuse moi, pardon, did you say never? So young, and you've already lost hope! This is America, the place to find hope. If you give up now, you will never find them. So never say never.
Papa Mousekewitz: For Tanya, a new papushka. Happy Hannauka.
Tanya Mousekewitz: Oh, Papa, thank you.
Mama Mousekewitz: You have only one parent?
Tanya Mousekewitz: Thank you, Mama.
Henri: Qu'est-ce que c'est? A little immigrant. Now they are coming by bottle.
Mouse Cop: We've got to do something about them cats.
Honest John: Besides paying Warren T. Rat for no protection.
Italian Mouse: Ma la cosa terrible que esiste en la patria mia! If you think things were bad in Russia, you should have seen things in my country
[singing]
Italian Mouse: Things were hard in Sicily, we had no provolone / The Don he was a tabby with a taste for my brother Tony / When mamma went to plead for him, the Don said he would see her / We found her rosary on the ground... Poor mamma mia!
Tiger: Listen, I like mice.
[Fievel cries]
Tiger: Oh, no. Not like that. You see, I don't eat red meat at all. I'm a vegetarian. Oh, a little fish now and then, but what I really like is a nice piece of... shh... broccoli.
Papa Mousekewitz: Oh, I nearly forgot. Here, Fievel, your hat.
[the hat drops as before; Fievel adjusts the hat with his ears]
Mama Mousekewitz: The hat, it fits!
Papa Mousekewitz: My son! Now, you are a mouse.
Seagull #1: I have a cousin in America.
Seagull #2: Ha.
[spits]
Seagull #2: You and everybody else.
Bridget: This is America! We have free speech! We can say "cat" here! Cat, cat, cat, and double-cat!
Bridget: Honest John, he's lost his family. By any chance, do you know the Mousekewitzes?
Honest John: Oh... Hmm. Are they registered to vo - Hic! - ote?
Bridget: They just got off the boat.
Honest John: Sorry, don't know them yet.
Mama Mousekewitz: Oh, my little boy, back from the dead. America, what a place.
Papa Mousekewitz: My Fievel. I thought I would never see you again.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Never say never, Papa.
Henri: Where is your mama, your papa, huh?
Fievel Mousekewitz: I don't know. They were on a boat to America.
Henri: Then you are in luck, my little immigrant. This is America.
Fievel Mousekewitz: America. But I thought it was bigger.
Henri: It is bigger. All of that is also America.
Papa Mousekewitz: Mama, look! Don't be afraid to open your eyes! Look what you're missing! You're missing everything!
Mama Mousekewitz: Papa, when we land, I'll look.
Gussie Mausheimer: What are you afraid of? Are we men, or are we mice?
Honest John: Mice! Mice, indeed, and proud of it!
Warren T. Rat: Just throw down that kid!
Tony Toponi: Oh, yeah?
[knocks off Warren's fake nose with his slingshot]
Tony Toponi: Bullseye!
[the crowd murmurs]
Warren T. Rat: Disregard the nose. What's in a nose? A nose by any other name would smell as sweet...
[Tony knocks off Warren's fake ears]
Crowd: Great whiskers! He's a cat!
Warren T. Rat: Hey, hey, hey! Wait a minute. Who are you gonna believe? Me or your own eyes?
Tony Toponi: Why didn't you tell me what time it was, huh?
Fievel Mousekewitz: But Tony, I can't tell time.
Papa Mousekewitz: You are calling for a Fillie Mousekewitz, right? Tell my daugther his name is Fillie and not Fievel.
Tony Toponi: His name's Fillie.
Papa Mousekewitz: You see?
Tony Toponi: ...and Fievel.
Papa Mousekewitz: And Fievel... and Fievel?
Tanya Mousekewitz: Papa.
Papa Mousekewitz: No, there are many Fievel Mouskewitzes in New York, maybe thousands! It could still be another Fievel Mousekewitz.
Mama Mousekewitz: No, Papa. Look.
[Holds up Fievel's hat]
Irish Mouse: That's sad, yes, but sadder still...
[singing]
Irish Mouse: When I was but a lad, I lost my true love fair / A calico he caught us by surprise / In a flash of teeth and fur / Her tail was all he left of her / 'Neath the heather is where my turra-lurra lies.
Digit: Would you please put out that filthy thing? I'm suffocating down here!
Warren T. Rat: You don't like it? Hey, you know you're not the only cockoroach in New York City. There are millions of roaches who give their lives to work for Warren T. Rat.
Digit: Good! Fire me! I'm fed up with that filthy smoke in this pocket! I've seen kitchen shelves cleaner than this place! Look at my suit!
Gussie Mausheimer: Money isn't everwything. I know because I have money, and I also have evewything. But what are they worth without fweedom?
Papa Mousekewitz: Won't it be great when we finally get to America, where we don't have to worry about cats? There are no cats in America. But back home in Mother Russia... Ahh.
[singing]
Papa Mousekewitz: Our family was traveling through the snow to Minsk / Suddenly Papa saw those huge paw prints / When I heard him screaming I fainted dead away / And I woke up an orphan... Oy vey!
Fievel Mousekewitz: Look, Papa! Smoke! Is the boat on fire?
Papa Mousekewitz: No! Keep walking!
Gussie Mausheimer: We must have a wawwy.
Honest John: A wawwy? What's a wawwy?
Gussie Mausheimer: You know, a warge gathewing of mice for a weason.
Honest John: Oh, a rally!
Gussie Mausheimer: That's what I said, a wawwy.
[the immigrants are getting off the ship in New York]
Female Immigrant: America!
Male Immigrant: No, no, New York.
Fievel Mousekewitz: I'm looking for my family.
Warren T. Rat: You've come to the right fella, kid. I know exactly where they are. Follow me.
Fievel Mousekewitz: But Henri said I would find them here.
Warren T. Rat: Have it your way, kid. But remember what Shakespeare said, and I quote: "Opportunity knocks but... uh, but..."
Digit: Psst! Once.
Warren T. Rat: "... but-but once. Taken at the tide, t'will lead to fortune. If denied, t'will never return."
Fievel Mousekewitz: Do you really know where my family is?
Warren T. Rat: Heh heh, trust me, kid. Trust me.
Papa Mousekewitz: In America, there are mouse holes in every wall.
Mama Mousekewitz: Who says?
Papa Mousekewitz: Everyone. In America, there are bread crumbs on every floor.
Mama Mousekewitz: You're talking nonsense!
Papa Mousekewitz: In America, you can say anything you want, but most important - and this I know for a fact - in America, there are no cats.
Henri: Now, are you going to find your family?
Fievel Mousekewitz: Yes!
Henri: Chantal! Take this little one to Immigration. You will find your family there. Everyone goes through Immigration. I would take you there myself, but then I would never finish my statue.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Henri, you said never.
Henri: Oh, so I did!
Tiger: [playing cards] I got it! I got it! I got it! Rummy!
Cat: Tiger, for the hundredth time, we're playing poker.
[Warren T. Rat playing the violin]
Warren T. Rat: Rats! This nose, this nose keeps getting in the way.
Digit: You could stop playing.
Warren T. Rat: That's very funny. I've never known a cockroach with good taste, but I've known plenty that taste - heh, heh - good.
Digit: [nervous] Heh, heh. Play, play, play.
Warren T. Rat: If music be the food of love, play on, McDuff, play on.
Digit: I don't know which is worse, the music or the Shakespeare?
Honest John: Poor lad. So young. He never had a chance to vote. Well, he'll vote from now on. I'll see to that.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Henri, what's that over there?
Henri: Oh, that is more America.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Can we go see it?
Henri: You will, my little American. Someday, you will.
Papa Mousekewitz: [whispering] In America... there are no... cats.
Mama Mousekewitz: Shhh! They'll hear you.
Papa Mousekewitz: How can they hear us?
Gussie Mausheimer: Why did we come here to America? For fweedom! Why are they building that statue on the harbor? What does it stand for? Fweedom! What do we want?
Crowd: Fweedom!
Clerk: Name?
Male Immigrant: Brovoloti Provalinsky.
Clerk: Okay, Mister... Smith.
[first lines]
Mama Mousekewitz: Fievel! Tanya! Stop that twirling, twirling! I mean it!
Papa Mousekewitz: But Mama, it's Hannukah.
Mama Mousekewitz: For you, every night is Hannukah.
[Fievel sees Warren's true form from behind the mirror]
Fievel Mousekewitz: Warren T.!
Warren T. Rat: [Warren sees Fievel] You!
Fievel Mousekewitz: You're not a Rat, you're a Cat!
Warren T. Rat: How'd you get in here? Come here, you little...
[Warren grabs Fievel, but Fievel bites him and runs off]
Warren T. Rat: Gentlemen, cat's out of the bag.
[throws his mirror to the ground]
Warren T. Rat: [yells] Get me that mouse!
Warren T. Rat: Don't worry, gentlemen. There are plenty of mice in Hong Kong.
Digit: Ooh, I gotta learn how to calculate in Chinese.
[starts counting in Chinese]
Warren T. Rat: Hey, I wonder how you say "trust me" in Chinese.
Tony Toponi: Tony Toponi's the name. What's your name kid?
Fievel Mousekewitz: Fievel. Fievel Mousekewitz.
Tony Toponi: Fievel? Ooh, that name's got to go! I know... Philly!
Fievel Mousekewitz: Philly?
Tony Toponi: Yeah, fits you perfect.
Gussie Mausheimer: Today was the worst day ever. Those cats are kiwwing evewyone. They don't even know the diffewence between wich and poor. The wetches!
Honest John: Shameful!
Tiger: I'm your guard, Tiger. Don't make any sudden moves, 'cause I'm crafty and I'm quick. I've got the instints of a cat. What am I saying? I am a cat.
Tiger: I like butterflies with big, golden wings, and blue and green tips.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Me too!
Tiger: I like Swiss cheese ice cream.
Fievel Mousekewitz: Me too! Me too!
Tiger: You too-too? Wait a minute. What's your favorite book?
Fievel Mousekewitz: Why, the Brothers Karamousov.
Tiger: [laughing] The Brothers... I don't believe it!
[Tiger has just let Fievel escape]
Warren T. Rat: You're fired.
Tiger: Good. I'm glad. I never liked you. And besides, your music stinks.
Gussie Mausheimer: What's come over me? I'm hugging a cat!
Papa Mousekewitz: Fievel, this is the last time I take you to America.
Gussie Mausheimer: We have a plan. E Pralabus Unim.
Tanya Mousekewitz: Papa, why'd they change my name to Tilly?
Fievel Mousekewitz: But that's impossible! I'll never find my fam...
Henri: Ah, ah, ah, ah! Never say never! Now say that! Go on!
Bridget: [after listening to her "double cat" speech, the crowd around her suffragette hat pulpit, slowly but gradually leave; leaving Bridget stunned and in distress; unbeknownst to her, Tony is right behind her hiding a flower behind his back]
[distressed; calling to the dispersing crowd]
Bridget: But... Wait! Why don't you all listen to me? I thought...
[She turns to leave in tears, only to sees Tony chivalrously kneeling down on one knee; holding out the flower for her. Now overcome with love, Bridget makes eye contact with the love-stricken Tony]
Bridget: [romantically] I think we should handle these... ca... ca...
Tony Toponi: [love-sick] aht... ahhh...
Bridget: [camera zooms in on Bridget's beautiful face and eyes; flirtatiously] Cats...
Tony Toponi: [chuckling love-sickly] Heh... heh...
[Fievel, annoyed by Tony's dazed state, tugs him by the scarf, only to trip and fall; leading Tony to snap back towards Bridget; causing them to kiss their first kiss; neon hearts bloom around the two mice as they kiss]
Papa Mousekewitz: [the cossack cat raid has left the Mousekawitz's house destroyed and burning to the ground; leaving the Mousekawitz family to look on in sorrow; mournfully] And that's why in America... There are No cats.
Bridget: [watching Fievel reunite with his family; giggling gleefully] It's so lovely to see a family together...
Tony Toponi: Hey, Ain't anybody thanking me?
Bridget: [amourous] Oh, thank you!
[Grabs Tony and kisses him on the cheek]
Tony Toponi: [love-strucked] Ah-uh...
[Tony and Bridget fall in to the water in their embrace]
Mama Mousekewitz: [Fievel has come out of his hiding place, a teapot; after the Cossack Cat raid; and is sitting in the snow, dazed yet relieved. Mama and the others arrive]
[greatly concerned]
Mama Mousekewitz: Oh, Fievel! Fievel, are you all right?
Fievel Mousekewitz: [blissfully] Yes, Mama.
Mama Mousekewitz: [strict] Never do that *Again*!
[Fievel snickers; embarrassed, yet still dazed]

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