An American Tail Quotes

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.


[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.


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.


Mama Mousekewitz: It's the end of the world.
Papa Mousekewitz: No, it's worse.


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.


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.


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.


Seagull #1: I have a cousin in America.
Seagull #2: Ha.
[spits]
Seagull #2: You and everybody else.


Papa Mousekewitz: Fievel, this is the last time I take you to America.


[the immigrants are getting off the ship in New York]
Female Immigrant: America!
Male Immigrant: No, no, New York.


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]


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.


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.


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!


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.


[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.


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!


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"]


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.


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.


Fievel Mousekewitz: Look, Papa! Smoke! Is the boat on fire?
Papa Mousekewitz: No! Keep walking!


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!


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 is not everything. I know, because I have money and I have everything.


Gussie Mausheimer: What are you afraid of? Are we men, or are we mice?
Honest John: Mice! Mice, indeed, and proud of it!


Gussie Mausheimer: We have a plan. E Pralabus Unim.


Tony Toponi: Why didn't you tell me what time it was, huh?
Fievel Mousekewitz: But Tony, I can't tell time.


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.


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.


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 isn't everwything. I know because I have money, and I also have evewything. But what are they worth without fweedom?


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.


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!


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!


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.


Henri: Qu'est-ce que c'est? A little immigrant. Now they are coming by bottle.


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?


Bridget: This is America! We have free speech! We can say "cat" here! Cat, cat, cat, and double-cat!


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.


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.


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!


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.


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?


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.


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?


Tiger: [playing cards] I got it! I got it! I got it! Rummy!
Cat: Tiger, for the hundredth time, we're playing poker.


[after the cats have just raided the marketplace]
Mama Mousekewitz: Well Mister there are no WHATS in America, hmm?
Papa Mousekewitz: [laughs nervosuly] Cats.


Gussie Mausheimer: I never thought this morning I'd be riding a fewine.
Tiger: [laughs] A fewine?
Gussie Mausheimer: A cat.
Tiger: I knew that, I knew that.


Gussie Mausheimer: What's come over me? I'm hugging a cat!


[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.


[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!


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.


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.


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: 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!


Mouse Cop: We've got to do something about them cats.
Honest John: Besides paying Warren T. Rat for no protection.


Papa Mousekewitz: [whispering] In America... there are no... cats.
Mama Mousekewitz: Shhh! They'll hear you.
Papa Mousekewitz: How can they hear us?


Clerk: Name?
Male Immigrant: Brovoloti Provalinsky.
Clerk: Okay, Mister... Smith.