Ben and Me (1953)

Sterling Holloway: Amos Mouse

Quotes 

• [after Amos is nearly killed during the kite experiment] 

  Ben Franklin : Amos, speak to me. Was it electricity?

  Amos Mouse : Was it electricity?

  [shouting, with lightning coming out of his mouth] 

  Amos Mouse : WAS IT ELECTRICITY? Goodbye! Goodbye, and forever!

• Amos Mouse : [voiceover]  I was born and raised in Philadelphia, in the old church down on Second Street. Our home was in the vestry, behind the paneling. There were 26 children in the family, and with that many mouths to feed, we were naturally quite poor. In fact, as poor as church mice. And since I was the oldest, I determined to set out into the world and make my own way. If I was successful, I could help the others. But, in any case, there would be one less mouse to feed.

• Amos Mouse : My name's Amos, one of the church mice from over on Second Street, and the first thing I'd do is figure a way to heat this place. All your heat's going up the chimney.

  Ben Franklin : And what would you propose?

  Amos Mouse : Put the fire in the middle of the room.

  Ben Franklin : Oh, nonsense! You want to burn the place down?

  Amos Mouse : Make something out of iron to put it in.

  Ben Franklin : Say, that might be an idea.

• Amos Mouse : Say, Ben, this your paper?

  Ben Franklin : That's it, Amos. "Poor Richard's Almanac".

  Amos Mouse : [Amos reads the paper]  "Sunrise: 6:22, Sunset: 7:43, High Tide: 4:20... a cat in gloves catches no mice..." Huh! "Poor Richard's Almanac." Poor, indeed.

  Ben Franklin : But Amos, consider all the information...

  Amos Mouse : Information! Ben, when the sun's up, it's up! Why read about it?

• Amos Mouse : [noticing Ben is about to run into a lamp post]  Post, Ben! Post!

  Ben Franklin : Oh, how do you do, Mr. Post?

• Colonist : How about it, men? Are we going to stand for this?

  Crowd : NO!

  Amos Mouse : No taxation without representation!

• Amos Mouse : [voice-over]  Poor Ben. I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. It was a heavy responsiblity. I could help him! I knew I could! But no. I couldn't go back. After all, a mouse has a little pride.

• Tom Jefferson : I've been racking my brains, working day and night, but it's no use! I'm stuck!

  Ben Franklin : But Red, I thought it was finished.

  Tom Jefferson : It is, it is, Ben, but I don't like the beginning. It just doesn't sound right. Listen to this: The time has come when we the people of these colonies...

  Ben Franklin : Yes, yes?

  Tom Jefferson : No! No! Not big enough! How about this: Now is the time when we the people...

  Ben Franklin : Well, um...

  Tom Jefferson : No! No! Not strong enough! Uh... The time is at hand when we the people mu... Oh! You see what I mean, Ben? If I could only find the words...

  Amos Mouse : [whispering]  Psst! Ben! How about our contract?

  Ben Franklin : [whispering]  No, Amos. Not now.

  Amos Mouse : [whispering]  Yes! Now, or I'm leaving!

  Ben Franklin : [whispering]  Alright, Amos. Alright.

  [reads] 

  Ben Franklin : "When in the course of human events, it becomes necess..."

  Tom Jefferson : Ben! That's it! That's it! When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to disolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume, among the powers of the earth, the seperate and equal station to which the laws of nature...

  [fade to the House of Representatives] 

  Tom Jefferson : ...and, for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

• Amos Mouse : [Voiceover]  It was shortly thereafter that Ben took up kite flying. To the framework of his largest kite he fastened a small box, for it was his idea that I become the world's first flying reporter. I was so enthralled by the spectacle spread below that I failed to notice a sharp, pointed wire fixed to the kite just above my head. I was the victim of a plot!

• [Amos has combined Ben's reading and regular glasses] 

  Ben Franklin : Well, well, well!

  Amos Mouse : Will they do?

  Ben Franklin : Will they? Why, Amos, this is a great idea. Two-way glasses. By George! Bifocals.

• Ben Franklin : Well, what would you suggest?

  Amos Mouse : First, I'd give it a new name. Something snappy, like... the Gazette. The Pennsylvania Gazette. It'll work perfectly.

  Ben Franklin : Well... sounds alright.

  Amos Mouse : And then, tell them what's going on! Give them some news! Real news! Wake them up!

  Ben Franklin : But where would I get news at this hour?

  Amos Mouse : I'll get it for you. Hold everything, Ben, until I get back.

• Amos Mouse : [voiceover]  As the years passed, Ben's reputation grew. Letters poured in from all over the colonies. Requests for money, for information on inventions, advice in business, and even advice to the loved one. I spent all my time answering them. Meanwhile, Ben putted around with his experiments.

  Ben Franklin : [sneaks up on Amos with and shocks him with his finger] 

  Amos Mouse : [screams]  Oww!

  Ben Franklin : [laughing]  Oh, Amos, you should have seen yourself! That was so funny!

  [notices that Amos is going away] 

  Ben Franklin : Amos, where are you going?

  Amos Mouse : I'm leaving!

  Ben Franklin : Leaving? Aww, Amos, can't you take a little joke?

  Amos Mouse : Joke?

  [shows Ben what he did to his tail] 

  Amos Mouse : You call *this* a joke?

  Ben Franklin : Oh, Amos, I didn't mean it. Now, please don't go. I'll never do it again.

  Amos Mouse : Well, no more tricks, now. Promise?

  Ben Franklin : I promise.

  [crosses his fingers] 

• Governor Keith : Good day, Franklin.

  Ben Franklin : Good day, Mister...

  Amos Mouse : [whispering]  Govenor Keith and Dr. Farmer.

  Ben Franklin : Govenor Keith, Dr. Farmer.

  Governor Keith : Read your new paper, my boy. Congratulations. First rate. Keep up the good work, Ben.

  Amos Mouse : [whispering]  Thank you, your excellency. I shall do my best.

  Ben Franklin : Thank you, your excellency. I shall do my best.

  Dr. Farmer : Bright man.

  Governor Keith : Yes, indeed. Very alert. Seems to know what's going on.

• Amos Mouse : [voiceover]  It was the winter of 1745, and these were desperate times. Jobs were scarce, especially for a mouse, for we were a downtrodden race.

  [Amos jumps into a snowdrift just in time to keep a man from stepping on him] 

• Ben Franklin : Well, Amos, we're a success. What a day. What a day.

  Amos Mouse : Yes, Ben.

  [yawns] 

  Amos Mouse : What a day.

  Ben Franklin : Now I can pay my bills and you can have cheese.

  Amos Mouse : Cheese. Mmmmmm. Good night, Ben.

  Ben Franklin : Good night, Amos.

• Amos Mouse : You can't give up. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

• Amos Mouse : [voiceover]  Fixing Ben's glasses was quite a problem. He'd broken his outdoor pair as well as his reading glasses. Well, there was just one thing left: try to make one pair out of the two.