Pete's Dragon (1977)

An orphan boy and his magical dragon come to town with his abusive adoptive parents in pursuit.

Director:

Don Chaffey

Writers:

Malcolm Marmorstein (screenplay), Seton I. Miller (story)

Stars:

Sean Marshall, Helen Reddy, Jim Dale

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Helen Reddy	...	Nora
Jim Dale	...	Dr. Terminus
Mickey Rooney	...	Lampie
Red Buttons	...	Hoagy
Shelley Winters	...	Lena Gogan
Sean Marshall	...	Pete
Jane Kean	...	Miss Taylor
Jim Backus	...	The Mayor
Charles Tyner	...	Merle
Gary Morgan	...	Grover
Jeff Conaway	...	Willie
Cal Bartlett	...	Paul
Charlie Callas	...	Elliott (voice)
Walter Barnes	...	Captain
Al Checco	...	Fisherman #1

Storyline

In New England in the early 20th century, Pete is a nine-year-old orphan escaping from his brutal adoptive parents, the Gogans, with his only friend, a cartoon dragon named Elliott. They successfully escape to Passamaquoddy, Maine, and live with Nora, a lighthouse keeper, and her father, Lampie. Elliott is sought for medicinal purposes by the corrupt Dr. Terminus.

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Plot Keywords:

dragon | boy | lighthouse | orphan | 20th century | 

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Taglines:

A brazzle dazzle extravagazzle.

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Genres:

Animation | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Musical

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Certificate:

G

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 November 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pete y Elliot el Dragon

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$40,100,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (RCA Photophone Sound Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ken Anderson, who created Elliott, explained that he thought it would be appropriate to make Elliott "a little paunchy" and not always particularly graceful when it comes to flying.

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Goofs

During the song "Every Little Piece", Doc Terminus sings "Crowns!", then Hoagy sings "Sous!" The subtitles say Hoagy's line as "shoes". This is obviously incorrect, singing they are singing about money and sous is an old French coin or a small amount of money.

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Quotes

Grover: Hey Ma, w-why don't we get ourselves another orphan, huh?
Lena Gogan: Because I done paid our last $50 for Pete, plus $.50 legal fees, and we ain't got another $50 plus legal, that's why. Ya understand?
[Willie and Grover look at each other then shake their heads]
Lena Gogan: Well, here's somethin' you *will* understand: you're gonna have to start workin' the farm with your own two hands, less'n you spot that little twerp!

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Alternate Versions

This Disney film has a troubled history as far as the many different versions released over the years. It originally ran 134 minutes. After its premiere engagement in Hollywood, it was cut down to 121 minutes before it premiered in New York. When it was released in Europe, it ran 105 minutes, with the following edits: -"Candle on the Water" (which survived only as an instrumental passage over the credits replacing the original overture) and "The Happiest Home in These Hills" were eliminated entirely. -Verses from "I Saw A Dragon," "Passamashloddy," "There's Room For Everyone," and "Every Little Piece" were cut. -21 scenes were shortened. This version was used for the original home video release in 1980, while every video since then has run 128 minutes, restoring the songs and the majority of dramatic material. However, when Disney re-released it in theaters, it was the European cut. Even further cuts were made for the TV version of the film, which premiered on "The Disney Sunday Movie" in 1986.

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Connections

Referenced in Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001)

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Soundtracks

Brazzle Dazzle Day
(uncredited)
Music and Lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn
Sung by Helen Reddy, Sean Marshall, and Mickey Rooney

User Reviews

Originals are Better

With the release of the newly updated version out this past Friday, I wanted to write about the original Disney masterpiece, Petes Dragon. It was a great memory as a child, watching this magical film and singing the songs. I realize that not everyone is a fan of musicals or Disney films in general, but this was one of the last true musicals, up there with Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins.

I like the original, it has depth and feeling. Remakes just make me feel like I'm paying for a story I already know. Some remakes can be good, but the original Petes Dragon isn't even that old of a film. And I know Disney has a history of remaking a lot of their own films, but Petes Dragon? It's a classic.

This film has so many memorable moments, from the characters to the sets to the music. Mickey Rooney as Lampie was great, probably his most remembered role ever. And Helen Reddy as Nora was excellent, and her song Candle on the Water is beautiful. And Doc Terminus, played by Jim Dale was hilarious and charming. He is a real treat to watch in any Disney film.

If you love Disney films, watch the classic and give it credit where it's due.