Original subtitles

♪ The Wind in the Willows

♪ Sang softly to me

♪ Follow my voice

♪ Wherever it leads

♪ From mountains, through valleys

♪ To deep rolling seas

♪ Born on the wings of the breeze ♪

Summer had come, but only just.

So the fatness and fullness of the countryside

still had the freshness and sparkle of spring.

The birds sang at their loudest, the leaves were at their greenest,

fields glowed with the yellow of buttercup.

Grassy banks were illuminated with the scarlet of the poppy.

It was a time for pleasant walks from home of friend to home of friend.

Badger, Rat and Mole had seen a lot of one another lately...

...but not of Toad.

He had stayed in Toad Hall where others came and went,

but not Badger, nor Rat or even Mole

since they were not invited.

And very much they wondered why.

Yes. Yes, you're coming on, Mole.

But I don't think you've noticed...

...that! Checkmate.

Oh, blow!

You're too good for me, Badger. For any of us.

Well, Rat has his days, you know. Oh, yes.

But not Toad.

No, not Toad. No concentration.

Except, of course, on Toad.

Not that I've seen him lately.

I don't think anyone has. He doesn't welcome visitors these days.

No, so I heard.

I wonder what's going on.

Going on, Badger?

The stillest moment comes before the storm, as my old father used to say.

- Oh, dear. - You can be sure he's up to something.

Now, Mole, cup of tea, eh?

- Oh, yes, please, Badger. - And...

Hello? That's Ratty's knock.

- I'd know it anywhere. - Shall I...?

Yes, kind of you, Mole.

All right, Rat. I'm coming.

Probably heard the kettle boil.

- Hello, Ratty. - Hello, Mole. Didn't know you were here.

- Badger's just brewing up. - Ah, well, I've timed it jolly well, then.

- Hello there, Badger. - My dear Rat, have a cup of tea.

Oh, love to. Fact is, I've seen Toad.

- Toad? - Yes, went for a little row this morning.

- He hailed me from his landing stage. - Not taking up boating again?

No, I don't think so. I got the feeling he expected to see me on the river.

Well... fancy that!

I know, Mole, I know.

But there's nothing quite so nice as, well, you know.

- What did he want? - Hmm? What?

Oh, yes, of course. Sorry. I was thinking about the river.

Well, he wants us to visit him. Tomorrow.

- Tomorrow? - Yes. Wants us all to go together.

Got a surprise for us.

Oh, dear. He's not started baking again? His scones are worse than his rowing.

Believe me, Mole, nothing is worse than his rowing!

No, he wants us to go late on.

He said after tea.

- After tea? - Dear me. Whatever is he up to?

I fear the worst, my friends.

I fear the worst.

Come in! Come in!

- Welcome to the home of a pioneer! - A pioneer?

- Marching under the banner of progress. - Toad, whatever are you...?

One who brings civilisation to a backward, blinkered, old-fashioned,

outdated community. He who...

- Toad! - Yes, Badger?

What are you blatherin' about?

Blathering? Now look here...

Have you had the decorators in?

Decorators? Of course I haven't had the decorators in.

- Someone's left stuff covered in... - Don't touch!

- Toad! There's no need... - It's a surprise! It's my surprise!

That's why I asked you here.

Oh, Toady! What is it?

It is the most amazing, the most wonderful,

the most modern miracle you could imagine!

Modem, Toad? Modern?

Up-to-date! Progressive!

I told you I feared the worst.

Do you think it's dark enough, Ratty?

Dark enough, Toad? Dark enough for what?

Dark enough, for instance,

to have the lights on.

- Whatever's got into him? - Better humour him.

Yes, Toad. It is getting quite dark.

It usually does at this time.

We've usually had some tea!

- Never mind food. - Never mind...

This will take your mind off food.

I'm going downstairs to the cellar.

- Really? - For the last time.

Eh?

And I shall never come up the stairs ever again, either.

- What on earth...?! - Stairs are things of the past.

Not at all sure he hasn't had a brainstorm.

- Look at that. - What?

- That notice. - It's not dry rot?

- More like folly, Mole. - What are these things? Those doors?

I'm going to take a... What on earth...?

- Oh, my! - Eh?

A-ha! Behold, it's me! It's Toad!

What IS the matter with the thing?!

Oh, no, no.

Ah, that's it. Got it now. My dear friends, I...

Oh, my! Will he be all right?

I'm sorry, Mole, but...!

Foolish creature. Progress Bah!

That's got it. Oh!

Will someone...?

I say!

Help!

Now that's much better. I think I...

Oh... there you are.

Are you all right, Toad?

I say, Rat! I do wish you'd stop that.

So that is progress, Toad?

Yes, Badger, it jolly well is! Or it will be!

- Just a bit of teething trouble. - Ah, nonsense.

Fashionable, self-indulgent nonsense.

It is NOT nonsense at all. It is modern, it is progress, it's a miracle of science,

it's electricity!

- Electricity? - Oh, Toad! I've heard about it.

Have nothin' to do with it, Toad. It's not natural, not safe.

Oh, Badger, don't be such a stick in the mud. This is the 20th century!

And so much the worse.

- Oh, Badger, it IS rather exciting. - Yes, exactly.

- And labour-saving and efficient! Mole? - Yes, Toad?

You may ring... the... doorbell.

The doorbell? But I'm already inside. And, anyway, we always knock.

Knock...

Thing of the past.

Just pop outside. There is a button by the door. Press where it says "Press”.

- Oh, yes. Thank you, Toad. - Are you sure he's safe?

Of course he's safe!

- Oh, well, if you're sure... - Of course I'm sure.

- Mole? Go on, press. - I am pressing!

Well, press harder!

All right.

That made you jump!

You see?

An electric doorbell!

- What do you say? - Eh? I said an electric door...

All right, Moley!

You can stop pressing now! Good chap!

- What? - I said you can stop pressing!

- I have stopped! - What?!

He says he's stopped pressing!

Of course he hasn't!

Oh! Oh, I say, Mole! Don't do that!

Mole! I...

Mole... you... I...

- Toad! The bell! - Oh, no! My doorbell!

At least it's stopped.

Progress

You might be a little more sympathetic.

It's not sympathy you need, it's sense.

Nothing of the sort.

- You wait till you see this! - Oh, Toad! Not something else.

A modern miracle. The power of a hundred candles.

The sun's light in every house.

- Badger, what does he mean? - He means, Moley, electric light.

He means...

HE means, Moley,

electric light!

- Ah, nonsense. - No more poking about for matches.

No more horrible old oil lamps and wretched dripping candles.

I like oil lamps, Toad. And candles are awfully friendly.

You like...?!

Awfully...?!

My dear Mole,

they're old hat!

This is the latest thing. Anybody who's anybody will have electric light.

I don't want to be anybody. I want to be Mole and all of you to be who you are.

Oh, Mole, don't be so... stick in the mud!

Just watch this.

Now... What do you think of that?

Well, it's... It's certainly very bright.

It's very nice, Toad, but it's not like the old lights were.

- Oh, look. - It's loud and brash and vulgar, Toad.

And though I hate to say it in your father's house,

so are you.

- Well, really! - You've lost your wits, Toad.

You're turning your dear father's home into a... showground.

- Well, if that's the way... - Toad, what are all these things?

Those are revolutionary devices for the home of tomorrow.

Not that Badger will be interested, of course.

- Oh, now, Toad... - Go on, Toad.

They are electrical appliances.

You see...

This, for instance, will entirely take the place of a parlour maid.

Parlour maid?

The aspirator air suction cleansing machine!

- Oh, I say! - Ridiculous!

It cleanly and effectively sucks dust up

and completely removes it. Not from the surface alone, as brushing does,

but from the crevices of floors and furniture

and even the interior of fabrics.

- My word! How wonderful! - But who works the thing, Toad?

- Works it? - Who uses it to suck the dust?

I don't know. The parlour maid, I suppose.

- But I thought you said... - Do stop talking about petty details.

This is the future, this is progress!

I'll, em... I'll just throw the main switch.

As we say in the electrical parlance.

Electrical parlance...

Stand by!

Oh, drat!

Who left that switched on?

Oh, I say! Oh, no!

Toad, it's eating its dust sheet!

What? What? Oh, no!

Toad!

- Oh, Toad! - Oh, no!

Oh! Ah! Let go!

- Oh, blow! - Toad?

Yes, yes.

There's no need... no need to panic.

Oh, Toad!

No, no!

A nice clean up...

Oh, Toad!

Help! Help!

Get off! Go on, get off!

Oh, Toad!

- Oh, Toad, stop it! - Toad, do something!

It's all right. It's teething troubles. I'll soon sort it out. I'll just...

Toad! It's got my waistcoat!

- Please! - What on earth...?!

Toad, you haven't got a locomotive in here?

What? Locomotive?

Oh. Oh, yes. Oh, drat. Oh, double drat.

The electric kettle is boiling in the kitchen. Someone turn it off!

I can't go! This thing won't let me!

And I certainly can't. Someone has to save Mole.

- And I'm trying to stop this. - Oh, you are useless! Useless!

I'll just have to go myself!

Oh, no!

Not that! Not the generator!

Oh, Toad!

Pride cometh before a fall.

Oh, does it? Well, I haven't fallen, so there!

- Look, Toad... - I shall mend the generator!

- Can you? - Of course I can!

I'm a man of the future. Not a stick in the mud. Progress, that's the thing.

Now where did I leave the matches?

- In the cupboard somewhere. - Toad! TOAD!

Here it is. Now, matches...

I'll show you!

Pride cometh before...

- Well, Toad, feeling any better? - Yes, thank you, Badger.

That beef tea of yours has done me a world of good.

And things are back to normal down below.

What? Oh, good.

We boarded up the lift shaft so no one else will fall down it.

No, good. Stupid thing. I knew it was useless.

- That sales chappie just insisted. - Er, yes, Toad. Yes, of course.

- And we filled all the oil lamps. - Hmm? Oh, yes, yes. Good.

So you think you've seen the error of your ways at last, Toad?

Oh, Badger, I have, I have.

I know that progress is a hollow sham.

A will o' the wisp leading us into the slough of despond.

- A tempter... - Yes, yes, Toad. No need to overdo it.

Oh...

- Yes. No, Badger. - You'll have no more scientific silliness?

What? No, no. Of course not, Moley.

My poor broken frame is a constant reproof to my folly.

No, no, I'm... quite content to lie here with my friends

and the simple innocence of affection.

- Oh, Toady.

But how I miss you when you've gone to your own dear, simple, primitive homes.

Oh, thank you, Toad.

How I miss your conversation.

Soon I will be able to hear your voices whether you are here or not.

- I don't quite... - I shall be able to lie here

and talk to you in your homes!

How would you do that?

With the electric telephone!

- The what?!

- The men are coming next week! - Toad!

The world will be at my doorstep.

I just pick it up and I can speak to the world! Hello! Toad here!

Oh, Toad!

♪ Spin me a dream

♪ Woven silver and gold

♪ From sunshine and shadows

♪ And days long ago

♪ Where people are memories

♪ And stories unfold

♪ Willows

♪ The tales you have told me

♪ Wind in the Willows

♪ You just seem to know

♪ Who you can turn to

♪ And which way to go

♪ To unwind your wondrous mind

♪ Wind in the Willows

♪ Take me there ♪