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Pete's Dragon, originally produced in 1977 by the Walt
Disney Company, is a musical and live action movie about an
invisible dragon named Elliot. Elliot bonds with an orphan
name Pete and Elliot lets only Pete see and play with him.
The movie is centered on Pete's going to a small fishing
town in Maine in the beginning of the twentieth century.
Because of Elliot's tendency to get into trouble Pete
usually ends up taking the blame for his invisible friend's
antics.
Pete is a runaway from a family named "Gogans" who had
adopted him. He has run away because the Gogans were abusive
and generally mistreated Pete. Elliot rescues Pet by
stopping the Gogans pursuit by knocking the family into the
mud. The Gogans, being generally mean and lazy, then
complain about the loss of their orphan and about the fact
that they can't afford another one so they will have to work
the farm themselves.
Pete and Elliot then go to a little fishing town in Maine
called Passamaquoddy, where, because of Elliot's invisible
antics, Pete is labeled unlucky by some of the locals.
Elliot is then seen by character Lampie (played by Mickey
Rooney) at the bar, whereupon Lampie runs around trying to
tell people there is a dragon in town. But no one believes
him, especially his daughter Nora (played by Helen Reddy)
who lives in the Passamaquoddy Lighthouse with Lampie. Nora
then leaves Lampie, telling him to go to sleep, and spies
Pete going into a cave down by the seashore.
Nora follows Pete and offers him a place to sleep at the
lighthouse. Pete, distraught over being chased by the
townsfolk and Elliot's troublemaking in the town, agrees to
Nora's offer only after making Elliot promise to stay in the
cave, which of course Elliot doesn't appreciate.
The story then progresses with Pete being rejected at every
turn, but ends up with Pete being adopted by Nora, and Pete
defeating the Gorgans with a little help from Elliot. This
story is about the triumph of the spirit and determination
of a little boy more than any of the other outside elements
like an invisible dragon. Once Pete is safe Elliot tells him
goodbye and leaves him with his new family. Supposedly
Elliot is off to save another child from cruelty and
brutality.
The songs included in this film are:
"Main Title" - Instrumental
"The Happiest Home in These Hills" - Shelley Winters, Charles Tyner,
Gary Morgan & Jeff Conaway
"Boo Bop BopBop Bop (I Love You, Too)" - Sean Marshall & Charlie Callas
"I Swear I Saw a Dragon" - Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney & The Townsmen
"It's Not Easy" - Helen Reddy & Sean Marshall
"Passamashloddy" - Jim Dale, Red Buttons & Townsfolk
"Candle on the Water" - Helen Reddy
"There's Room for Everyone" - Helen Reddy, Sean Marshall & Children
"Every Little Piece" - Red Buttons & Jim Dale
"Brazzle Dazzle Day" - Helen Reddy, Mickey Rooney & Sean Marshall
"Bill of Sale" - Helen Reddy, Shelley Winters, Charles Tyner, Gary
Morgan & Jeff Conaway
"Candle on the Water (Reprise)" - Helen Reddy
Stars:
Helen Reddy
Jim Dale
Mickey Rooney
Red Buttons
Shelley Winters
Directed by Don Chaffey
Produced by Jerome Courtland and Ron Miller
Written by Short Story Author:
S.S. Field and Seton Miller
Screenwriter:
Malcolm Marmorstein
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