The Secret of NIMH (1982)

Elizabeth Hartman: Mrs. Brisby

Photos 

74 more photos

Quotes 

• [Mrs. Brisby reads the inscription on the amulet] 

  Mrs. Brisby : You can unlock any door if you only have the key.

• Great Owl : I must bid you good evening, Mrs...

  Mrs. Brisby : Mrs. Brisby.

  Great Owl : Brisby? Mrs. Johnathan Brisby?

  Mrs. Brisby : Why, yes. He was my husband. But how did you know about him?

  Great Owl : That is not important. I will say this. His name is not unknown in these woods.

• Mrs. Brisby : Auntie Shrew, what's going on?

  Auntie Shrew : Indeed.

  Mrs. Brisby : Please, come back inside.

  Auntie Shrew : Not for a king's ransom. I just have one thing to say,

  [pointing at Martin] 

  Auntie Shrew : that child is a brat.

  Mrs. Brisby : Yes, I will speak to him.

  Auntie Shrew : I came here to inform you that the frost is off the ground and moving day is at hand. Prepare to move your very, very odd family. Good day.

  [as she walks out] 

  Auntie Shrew : You never know what might be lurking about out there, what with rats in the field.

• Jeremy : Miss Bris. Oh, Bris. Where are you?

  Mrs. Brisby : Over here.

  Jeremy : [Arrives with bag of string]  Here it is. I brought the whole nest. There's plenty more where this came from, too. I've got connections. Hey, your house is moved. Oh, no! What am I gonna do with all this string?

  Mrs. Brisby : You'll think of something.

  Jeremy : [sigh]  What's the use. What's a guy like me going to do with a love nest, anyway?

  [as he starts to leave Jeremy is knocked over by another crow] 

  Jeremy : [groans]  Excuse me, pardon me.

  Miss Right : Excuse me, pardon me.

  Cynthia : Look, mommy, another turkey.

• Mrs. Brisby : I went to see the Great Owl.

  Mr. Ages : The Owl. You say you saw the Owl?

  Mrs. Brisby : Yes. And he said I should ask for Nicodemus.

  Mr. Ages : I know Nicodemus.

  Mrs. Brisby : He lives with the rats.

  Mr. Ages : More specifically, he's the leader of the rats.

  Mrs. Brisby : You know him?

  Mr. Ages : [abruptly]  No one has ever seen the Owl! And live to tell about it.

• Jeremy : Well, do you like me?

  Mrs. Brisby : Of course I like you. Bye now.

  [resumes her journey home] 

  Jeremy : No, I mean. I mean... I mean you don't think I'm clumsy or anything?

  [loses balance, falls through hole] 

• Mrs. Brisby : You're in great danger. NIMH is coming.

  Jenner : Come come. Let's return to the rosebush.

  Mrs. Brisby : NIMH's coming.

  Rat 1 : NIMH?

  Mrs. Brisby : In the morning.

  Rat 2 : NIMH?

  Mrs. Brisby : Yes. You will all die unless you leave the farm tonight.

  Jenner : Lies.

  Mrs. Brisby : Please! You must believe me.

  Rat 1 : What if it's true?

  Rat 2 : We'll all be killed.

  Rat 3 : Don't panic.

  Jenner : Don't listen. She's hysterical.

  Mrs. Brisby : Get out now!

  [With a vicious backhand, Jenner sends Mrs. Brisby flying. He shucks his cape and draws his sword] 

  Jenner : You get out. I've had enough.

• Timmy : Mama, I'm tired of being in bed. I wanna get up.

  Mrs. Brisby : Well, you're not getting up.

• Mrs. Brisby : If you're going to feather a nest, you've got a lot to learn about how to treat a lady.

  Jeremy : Right. When you're right, you're right. And you're right. None of the girls I meet wanna get serious.

  Mrs. Brisby : I doubt they'd survive.

• Jeremy : [needs something to impress a female crow he just met]  Mrs. Bris, Mrs. Bris, let me have the sparkly! I gotta have the sparkly. Mrs. B, I gotta have it. Girls can't resist a sparkly. Please. Please!

  Mrs. Brisby : I gave it to Justin.

  Jeremy : Justin? Who the heck is Justin?

  Mrs. Brisby : The leader of the rats.

  Jeremy : "The leader of the rats." How could you do this to me? What'll I say, Mrs. B? What'll I do?

  Mrs. Brisby : Well, Just be... Be athletic!

  Jeremy : That's right. Athletic.

  [gets up and starts running back to female crow] 

  Jeremy : I'll just be a little...

  [trips over Cynthia] 

• Jeremy : I think I got real potential. I mean, girls go for the athletic type, don't they?

  Mrs. Brisby : Jeremy, you're stepping on my tail.

  Jeremy : Oh, yeah. Excuse me. Pardon me.

• Mrs. Brisby : Jeremy?

  Jeremy : [shushes]  I'm being followed.

  Mrs. Brisby : Followed?

  Jeremy : There's a crazy lady with a hat. She has big teeth, she tied me up, and then...

  [Sees Mrs. Brisby's amulet] 

  Jeremy : A sparkly.

  Mrs. Brisby : What?

  Jeremy : You're wearing a sparkly. Can I hold? Please, can I?

  Mrs. Brisby : Jeremy, listen.

  Jeremy : [still mesmerized by the amulet]  Wow.

  Mrs. Brisby : I need lots and lots of string.

  Jeremy : String.

  Mrs. Brisby : To move the block.

  Jeremy : Move the block. Hey! I've got string. I've been saving them.

  Mrs. Brisby : You do?

  Jeremy : Oh, sure. Red ones, blue ones, green, yellow...

  Mrs. Brisby : Pay attention. Got get all the strings you can.

  Jeremy : Okay. That'll take all day.

  Mrs. Brisby : Good. Get going.

  Jeremy : I... I just thought I'd mention in passing... I've always wanted a sparkly of my very own.

  Mrs. Brisby : Will you get going?

  Jeremy : Sure. Excuse me. Pardon me. Bye.

• Mrs. Brisby : Forgive me. I just noticed you were limping.

  Mr. Ages : That is none of your affair. Now, to what you are about to see in here, you must swear absolute secrecy.

  Mrs. Brisby : Yes, I...

  Mr. Ages : Swear it.

  Mrs. Brisby : I promise.

  Mr. Ages : If any of this ever got out, we'd have humankind bulldozing their way down here to blow the place apart.

  Mrs. Brisby : Is it always so dark?

  Mr. Ages : We're down three feet.

• Auntie Shrew : The Great Owl would know what to do about this. You must go see him.

  Mrs. Brisby : I couldn't do that. Owls eat mice.

  Auntie Shrew : Well, my child, show a little courage. We're fighting for Timmy's life.

• Mrs. Brisby : Please, sir. I'll do anything for Timothy. Anything.

  Great Owl : There is a way. Go to the rats.

  Mrs. Brisby : But I don't know any rats.

  Great Owl : In the rosebush.

  Mrs. Brisby : Yes. Near the farmhouse.

  Great Owl : Go there. Ask for Nicodemus.

  Mrs. Brisby : Nicodemus? But how can they help?

  Great Owl : They must move your house to the lee of the stone.

  Mrs. Brisby : No rat could move my house. It's...

  Great Owl : They have ways.

  Mrs. Brisby : I don't understand, but I will do as you say.

• Jeremy : Say! You were a girl once. You can teach me how to... You know, how to...

  Mrs. Brisby : Behave yourself?

  Jeremy : I'm not that bad. I just need a few pointers to polish my style.

  [trips and falls down] 

  Mrs. Brisby : Jeremy, I've got to go home.

  Jeremy : [stutters]  Let me fly you home. We can talk on the way.

  Mrs. Brisby : Oh, no, thank you. I'm afraid of heights.

  Jeremy : Okay, then. We'll walk.

• [Mrs. Brisby listens to the farmer start the tractor] 

  Auntie Shrew : What did I tell you? Moving day.

  Mrs. Brisby : It can't be.

  Auntie Shrew : It certainly can. I don't supposed you've packed.

  Mrs. Brisby : What about Timmy? The chill in the air could kill him.

  Auntie Shrew : Well, child, that tractor surely will. For the last time, get your children out of here before it's too late.

• Jeremy : Nice evening, huh? I told you you'd love flying.

  Mrs. Brisby : I don't know how I let you talk me into this.

• Mrs. Brisby : Well, you keep making all that noise and Dragon will hear you. If he hasn't already.

  Jeremy : Wouldn't you sing, too? I mean, if you felt...

  [laughs] 

  Jeremy : if you felt the call of the wild?

  Mrs. Brisby : I would... I would not if I knew there was a cat nearby.

  Jeremy : But... But she's out there. Somewhere. And when I find her, I'll feel it way down in my wishbone. I'd... What cat?

• [Jeremy sneaks up behind her wearing a human blouse like a large hooded robe - he pulls the "hood" back] 

  Mrs. Brisby : [surprised]  Jeremy? What on Earth?

  Jeremy : [whispering]  I'm in disguise.

  [laughs] 

  Mrs. Brisby : Jeremy, please. Not now. I'm trying to find the entrance. And these thorns are very dense.

• Cynthia : Is Timmy gonna die?

  Mrs. Brisby : No, sweetheart. He's just very sick.

  Teresa : What's the matter with him, Mother?

  Mrs. Brisby : Mr. Ages called it pneumonia.

  Teresa : Pneumonia.

  Cynthia : When will he get better?

  Mrs. Brisby : Soon, I hope.

• Jeremy : Hey, there's a cat out there.

  Mrs. Brisby : Quiet. Does he see you?

  Jeremy : No.

  [wheezing] 

  Jeremy : Yes.

  Mrs. Brisby : Stand perfectly still.

  Jeremy : Everything's fine. He's headed right for us.

  Mrs. Brisby : Don't panic. Fast or slow?

  Jeremy : Medium. Make that fast. Very fast. I have to go now. Excuse me.

• Jenner : Friends, we cannot move the Brisby home.

  Mr. Ages : We can't just leave it here in the mud.

  Jenner : The equipment is a shambles.

  Mrs. Brisby : [offscreen]  Justin!

  Jenner : One day, we shall journey to Thorn Valley, just as Nicodemus wanted. But not now.

  Mrs. Brisby : Justin!

  Mr. Ages : Mrs. Brisby.

  Jenner : Come. Let us return to the rosebush, where we belong.

• [the phone rings in middle of night] 

  Farmer Fitzgibbons : I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold your horses! Hello. Who? NIMH? Oh, yeah, NIMH. Yes, yes, I know, you called about the rats. I don't know about any special behavior but the traps sure don't work. The morning? Suits me fine. No, no, no, you can bulldoze that rosebush right out of here. I want those rats exterminated. Now, there's no charge for any of... Good. Okay, well. I'll see you in the morning. Bye-bye.

  [Hangs up] 

  Mrs. Brisby : NIMH. They're coming here.

  [gasps] 

  Mrs. Brisby : I must warn Justin.

• Mrs. Brisby : [Confronted by a large rat with a battleaxe]  Hello. I'm Mrs. Brisby. I was told to see Nicodemus. Are you Nicodemus?

  [the rat swipes at her] 

  Mrs. Brisby : Please. I need help.

• Mrs. Brisby : [after Auntie Shrew has left after being mistreated by Martin, she glares seriously at Teresa, Martin and Cynthia]  Well, children, now, you've done it.

  Teresa : [making a point]  It was Martin.

  Mrs. Brisby : [understanding; as she crosses to the fireplace to mix Timothy's medicine with a broth]  The Shrew means well. She only wants to help.

  Martin : [feeling guilty over his behavior in front of Auntie Shrew, as he follows Mrs. Brisby into Timothy's bedroom]  Gosh, I'm sorry, Mom.

• Mr. Ages : Your son has pneumonia.

  Mrs. Brisby : Pneumonia?

  Mr. Ages : It's not uncommon, but you can die from it.

  Mrs. Brisby : Please, dear God, no.