Pete’s Dragon

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

• Director: Don Chaffey
• Genre:Adventure / Family / Fantasy / Musical
• Runtime:102 minutes

Cast

Helen Reddy : Nora
Jim Dale : Dr. Terminus
Mickey Rooney : Lampie
Red Buttons : Hoagy
Shelley Winters : Lena Gogan

A young dusty-haired orphan named Pete is fleeing his abusive adoptive family, the Gogans. As Lena Gogan and company pursue him (“The Happiest Home in These Hills”) an unseen force, which Pete calls Elliott, distracts the Gogans. Lena, her husband Merle, and their sons Grover and Willie are determined to find Pete because, in Lena’s own words, “We paid $50 for that kid, and we ain’t got fifty more.” The lazy, inept and constantly-bickering Willie and Grover are told by their equally-heelish parents that “If we don’t get him back, you two boys are gonna have to start workin’ the farm with your own two hands.”

The next morning Pete and Elliott, revealed to be a green and purple animated dragon who also has the power of invisibility, share breakfast (“Boo Bop Bop Bop Bop”) and decide to visit a nearby village called Passamaquoddy. Due to the clumsy antics of the unseen Elliott, Pete is labeled a source of ill luck and must flee. Lampie, the drunken old lighthouse keeper, stumbles out of a tavern and encounters Pete. A mischievous Elliott makes himself visible to him and a terrified Lampie runs into the bar to warn the townsfolk (“I Swear I Saw a Dragon”). His capable daughter Nora takes him back to their home, the local lighthouse, settles him down and puts him to bed. Meanwhile, in a seaside cave, Pete rebukes Elliott for causing trouble. Just as the two make up Nora appears, having spotted Pete earlier. She offers Pete shelter and they talk (“It’s Not Easy”). Pete is inquisitive and soon learns the story of Nora’s fiancé, Paul, whose ship was reported lost at sea. Pete promises to ask Elliott about Paul and Nora accepts, believing Elliott to be an imaginary friend.

The next morning, Doc Terminus, a medicine showman, and his shill Hoagie haphazardly arrive and manage to win over the gullible townspeople, who are initially angered by their return. That evening Pete visits Elliot and Nora thanks her father for pretending that the dragon exists. Lampie insists he actually saw a dragon and Nora tells him to be realistic, to which her father retorts that her hoping for Paul’s return is just as unrealistic. Lampie apologizes for his outburst and excuses himself, giving Nora time to think (“Candle on the Water”). At the tavern, Lampie tells Terminus and Hoagie about the dragon. Terminus dismisses the tale, but Hoagie agrees to go to the cave. After an encounter with Elliott (in which all three, including Elliott, become frightened) Hoagie offers the dragon some liquor as a gesture of peace, which triggers a fiery belch that chases the pair away. Read more