The Little Mermaid (1989)
Kenneth Mars: Triton
Photos
Quotes
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Triton : I just don't know what we're going to do with you, young lady.
Ariel : Daddy, I'm sorry, I just forgot.
Triton : As a result of your careless behavior...
Sebastian : Careless and reckless behavior!
Triton : ...the entire celebration was...
Sebastian : Well, it was ruined! That's all! Completely destroyed! This concert was to be the pinnacle of my distinguished career. Now thanks to you, I am the laughingstock of the entire kingdom!
Flounder : But it wasn't her fault. First, the shark chased us. Yeah, yeah. And we tried to... But we couldn't, and he
[grr]
Flounder : And... And we... whoa! And then we were safe. But then this seagull came, and it was "This is this, and that is that, and..."
Triton : Seagull?
[Flounder gasps and hides in Ariel's hair as she gives him a dirty look]
Triton : What? You went up to the surface again, didn't you? Didn't you?
Ariel : Nothing happened.
Triton : Ariel, how many times must we go through this? You could've been seen by one of those barbarians, by by one of those humans!
Ariel : Daddy, they're not barbarians.
Triton : They are dangerous. Do you think I would want to see my youngest daughter snared by some fish-eater's hook?
Ariel : I'm 16 years old. I'm not a child any more.
Triton : Don't you take that tone of voice with me, young lady! As long as you live under my ocean, you'll obey my rules!
Ariel : But if you would just listen...
Triton : Not another word! And I am never, never to hear of you going to the surface again! Is that clear?
[Ariel leaves, crying]
-
Triton : [confronts Ariel in her grotto] I consider myself a reasonable merman. I set certain rules, and I expect those rules to be obeyed.
Ariel : But Dad, I...
Triton : [interrupts] Is it true you rescued a human from drowning?
Ariel : Daddy, I had to...
Triton : Contact between the human world and the mer-world is strictly forbidden. Ariel, you know that! Everyone knows that.
Ariel : He would have died.
Triton : [coldly] One less human to worry about.
Ariel : [frustrated] You don't even know him.
Triton : Know him? I don't have to know him! They're all the same. Spineless, savage, harpooning fish-eaters, incapable of any feeling...
Ariel : [interrupts] Daddy, I love him!
[Ariel gasps, realizing she accidentally slipped the truth]
Triton : [shocked] No! Have you lost your senses completely? He's a human. You're a mermaid.
Ariel : I don't care.
Triton : So help me, Ariel, I am going to get through to you. And if this is the only way, so be it!
[He proceeds to destroy Ariel's collection of human objects with his trident]
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Triton : I'm really looking forward to this performance, Sebastian.
Sebastian : Your Majesty! This will be the finest concert I have ever conducted. Your daughters, they will be spectacular!
Triton : Yes. And especially my little Ariel.
Sebastian : Yes, yes. She has the most beautiful voice. Hmm?
[to himself]
Sebastian : If only she'd show up for rehearsals once in a while.
-
Triton : Do you think I was too hard on her?
Sebastian : Definitely not. Why, if Ariel was my daughter, I'd show her who was boss. None of this flitting to the surface and other such nonsense. No, sir. I'd keep her under tight control.
Triton : [perks up in agreement] You're absolutely right, Sebastian.
Sebastian : [politely] Of course.
Triton : Ariel needs constant supervision.
Sebastian : [in agreement] Constant.
Triton : Someone to watch over her, to keep her out of trouble.
Sebastian : [in agreement] All the time.
Triton : [points at Sebastian] And you are just the crab to do it!
-
Triton : Sebastian. I'm concerned about Ariel. Have you noticed she's been acting peculiar lately?
Sebastian : [pretending to act confused] Peculiar?
Triton : You know, mooning about. Daydreaming, singing to herself. You haven't noticed?
Sebastian : [slowly] Well, I...
Triton : [suspicious] Sebastian.
Sebastian : [looks up] Hmm?
Triton : [suspicious] I know you've been keeping something from me.
Sebastian : [nervously] Keeping something?
Triton : About Ariel?
Sebastian : [very nervously stops his knees from shaking] Ariel?
Triton : [points his trident at Sebastian] In love?
Sebastian : [whimpers nervously, then protesting] I tried to stop her, sir! She wouldn't listen! I told her to stay away from humans! They are bad! They are trouble!
Triton : Humans? What about humans?
Sebastian : Humans?
[chuckles nervously as he floats away from Triton]
Sebastian : Who said anything about humans?
[Sebastian moves away but King Triton grabs him]
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Triton : Any sign of them?
Seahorse : No, Your Majesty. We searched everywhere. We've found no trace of your daughter or Sebastian.
Triton : Well, keep looking. Leave no shell unturned, no coral unexplored, Let no one in this kingdom sleep until she's safe at home.
Seahorse : [bows his head] Yes, sire.
[leaves]
Triton : [in shame] What have I done? What have I done?
-
Andrina : Ariel, dear, time to come out. You've been in there all morning.
[Ariel emerges, singing to herself]
Atina : What is with her lately?
[Ariel looks at herslf in the mirror, then picks a flower next to it and swims away, but stops short when she sees her father]
Ariel : Morning, Daddy.
Triton : [Ariel tucks the flower next to her father's ear and swims off, continuing to sing to herself] Well!
Atina : She's got it bad.
Triton : What? What has she got?
Andrina : Isn't it obvious, Daddy? Ariel's in love.
Triton : Ariel?
[picks the flower from the side of his ear]
Triton : In love?
-
Triton : She really does love him, doesn't she, Sebastian?
Sebastian : [nods] Well, it's like I always say, Your Majesty, children got to be free to lead their own lives.
Triton : You always say that?
Sebastian : [chuckles nervously and shrugs]
Triton : [sighs] Then I guess there's just one problem left.
Sebastian : And what's that, Your Majesty?
Triton : How much I'm going to miss her.
-
Triton : Ursula, stop!
Ursula : Why, King Triton! How are you?
Triton : Let her go!
Ursula : Not a chance, Triton! She's mine now!
[showing him the contract]
Ursula : We made a deal.
Ariel : Daddy, I'm sorry! I... I didn't mean to! I didn't know!
[Triton tries to destroy the scroll with his trident, but nothing happens]
Ursula : You see? The contract's legal, binding, and completely unbreakable, even for you. Of course, I always was a girl with an eye for a bargain. The daughter of the great sea king is a very precious commodity. But I might be willing to make an exchange for someone even better.
