Animal Farm (1999 film)

Animal Farm is a 1999 made-for-TV film about a group of farm animals who successfully revolt against their human owner, only to slide into a more brutal tyranny among themselves.
 * Directed by John Stephenson. Written by Alan Janes and Martyn Burke, based on the novel by George Orwell.

There's a new day dawning on the farm.

Jessie

 * [Narrating] It was a storm of judgment. For years, we had been hiding from oppression. Hiding from Napoleon's spies. But now nature was washing away the disease. I always knew, as with all things built on the wrong foundations, the farm would one day crumble. At last, the wait was over. The poisonous cement which held Napoleon's evil dream together was being washed away. I could taste it in the water. I was old, I was almost blind, but I can still remember.
 * And so at last, the farm belonged to us, and we were free. We knew we could live without fear, and Snowball would show us the way.
 * My puppies had become Napoleon's servants. Snowball was banished, and Napoleon took control.
 * [Narrating] Our windmill was ruined. Our spirits were at their lowest. But, Napoleon seemed... triumphant.
 * Come on. We should leave while we still can. I'll get the others.
 * [Narrating] Free? Life had been far from free in our hideout. Seasons came and went, and we waited. The years passed, we grew old, but we still waited. Waited for what surely must pass. Waited for Napoleon's cruelty and greed to bleed the farm to death. And now with the coming of the storm came the first signs that our wait was over. It was time for us to return to that place that had once been full of such hope. I wondered if anything was still alive. I knew in my heart that Napoleon had fallen. A victim of his own madness. But what of the others? After all we'd been through, I needed to believe there was still hope. Could this be the same place? Where Old Major had spoken of his dream? Where we had worked so hard for a better life? All that was left was a memory and the pain of the poor creatures who had suffered. My heart sank. But there are always survivors.

Snowball

 * Animals, the wisest of us all has words which must now be spoken.
 * There are no rewards after death. There is only the here and now. We must work to make this life better.
 * This is war. The only good human is a dead one.
 * Animals, think of the benefits of a windmill. Yes, it will be hard work to build, but once it's built, it could save us so much labor, that we may have to work only three days a week.

Napoleon

 * These words came to Old Major in a dream which must now be heard.
 * Friends, we must always remember that Old Major died for every one of us. And now, we each have a duty to him. REVOLUTION!
 * There will be no more meetings, no more endless debates. From now on, a special committee of pigs will decide all aspects on the farm.
 * Snowball's sabotage is the reason for our shortage of food... but he must have inside help. Which of you is in league with him?! I will find you out! The guilty will have nowhere to hide! Because of this sabotage, the hens will have to surrender their eggs for sale in the market.
 * ALL HENS ARE CRIMINALS! NO HEN WILL BE FED! ANY ANIMAL SEEN GIVING FOOD TO A HEN WILL BE PUNISHED BY DEATH!
 * No, not Animal Farm. I have decided we should revert to our proper name of Manor Farm.

Boxer

 * I've no wish to take life. Not even human life.
 * I... I can work harder.

Benjamin

 * All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

Old Major

 * My friends, I do not think I will be with you for many days more. I've had a long life, and now it is my duty to pass on to you such as I understand of the nature of our lives. Animalkind is born to a miserable, laborious and short existence. We are given only just enough food as will sustain the breath in our bodies for the work we do. And when our usefulness has come to an end, we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty.
 * Remove man, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever. Remove man, and the produce of our own labor will be our own. Remove man, and overnight, we will become... free and equal!
 * Amongst us animals, there must be unity and comradeship. All animals are friends. All humans are enemies.
 * Now, my friends, I will tell you about the end of my dream. And a song that came to me. It's a song you must learn. It's a song of justice and freedom.

Dialogue

 * Moses: What's going on? Leave him be! Leave him be! [flies down] Thou shall not kill.
 * Jessie: He was hurting Boxer.
 * Moses: But, no animal can ever attack a human.
 * Jessie: No human should ever hurt an animal.
 * Mrs. Jones: [shouts] Jones!
 * Boxer: [turns] Oh.
 * Mrs. Jones: WHERE ARE YOU?!
 * Boxer: Jessie! Jessie, go! Quick!
 * Mrs. Jones: I'VE GOT A TRAIN TO CATCH!


 * Snowball: Animals, the wisest of us all has words which must now be spoken.
 * Napoleon: These words came to Old Major in a dream which must now be heard.
 * Old Major: My friends, I do not think I will be with you for many days more. I've had a long life, and now it is my duty to pass on to you such as I understand of the nature of our lives. Animalkind is born to a miserable, laborious and short existence. We are given only just enough food as will sustain the breath in our bodies for the work we do. And when our usefulness has come to an end, we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty. [several animals cry out "NO!"] Yes! And who, pray, is responsible for our suffering? Huh? Hmm? Man! Man is our enemy!


 * Jessie: Oh!
 * Boxer: Oh, what is it?
 * Jessie: I think it's my time.
 * Boxer: You're dying?
 * Jessie: No, puppies.
 * Boxer: Puppies? Puppies! Quick, what do we do?
 * Snowball: Steady now, Boxer. Let's get Jessie back to the barn.


 * Jessie: Napoleon, I want to see my puppies.
 * Napoleon: No Jessie, you can't see your puppies.
 * Jessie: But... they're my babies.
 * Squealer: If you were thinking clearly, then you would be pleased at the special education that we're going to give them. You surely don't want to disadvantage your own puppies. Do you?
 * Jessie: No.
 * Squealer: Good.
 * Jessie: No, I don't.
 * Squealer: Well, off you go then.
 * Jessie: They still need their mother.
 * Squealer: Hhmm. Her sadness will spread to the other animals.
 * Napoleon: Mmm, not if we distract them.
 * Squealer: Yes.


 * Jessie: They won't let me see my puppies.
 * Boxer: Where are they?
 * Jessie: I don't know. Boxer, the pigs always tell us what to do, what to think.
 * Boxer: We must have leaders.
 * Jessie: But what if they're wrong?
 * Boxer: Napoleon's never wrong.
 * Jessie: [narrating] Dear Boxer. He totally believed in Napoleon. He just wanted to do right.


 * Napoleon: Friends... Snowball is a traitor and a criminal!
 * Boxer: But he was a brave fighter.
 * Napoleon: Bravery is not enough! Loyalty is more important!
 * Squealer: You see how clever Napoleon has been, my friends? Of course he's not against the windmill; in fact, it was his own idea. He opposed it to flush out Snowball for the traitor he is. Tactics, friends.
 * Napoleon: There will be no more meetings, no more endless debates. From now on, a special committee of pigs will decide all aspects on the farm.


 * [Boxer gasping]
 * Jessie: Here, try to drink some water.
 * Boxer: Yes, yes I will.
 * Squealer: Mmm, any improvements, hmm? Our leader is going to make arrangements to have his most loyal worker treated in hospital.
 * Boxer: Thank... you.
 * Squealer: Now... back to work!
 * Jessie: But, but I don't think I should leave him.


 * Jessie: I could've saved him.
 * Benjamin: Nobody can save any of us.
 * Jessie: I could have.
 * Benjamin: How?
 * Jessie: I found a place at the edge of the farm. A good place to hide. I should've taken him there, but I did nothing. I'll never forgive myself.
 * Benjamin: Well, you could put the wrong right.
 * Jessie: Yeah, Yes, you're right.
 * Benjamin: Muriel won't last much longer. And there are others.
 * Jessie: Then we must save them. We must leave with as many animals as we can.
 * Benjamin: That's it.

Cast

 * Julia Ormond - Jessie (voice)
 * Patrick Stewart - Napoleon (voice)
 * Ian Holm - Squealer (voice)
 * Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Mollie (voice)
 * Kelsey Grammer - Snowball (voice)
 * Pete Postlethwaite - Farmer Jones/voice of Benjamin
 * Paul Scofield - Boxer (voice)
 * Peter Ustinov - Old Major (voice)
 * Alan Stanford - Farmer Frederick