'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974 TV Movie)

Tammy Grimes: Albert

Quotes 

• Father Mouse : You don't know as much as you think because you only think with your head. So you have a lot of trouble believing in things you can't see or touch.

  Albert : Like for instance, what things?

• Albert : That's it! That's it, Father. I'll fix the clock by midnight, then maybe Santa will...

  Father Mouse : You believe in Santa?

  Albert : I don't know. I don't know. But I've learned that I still got a lot to learn.

  Father Mouse : But son, you don't know how to fix a clock.

  Albert : That's all right, Father. Copernicus knew.

• Albert : [after Father Mouse has shown him Davy Thomas]  But these are just kids. Grownups never believe in Santa.

  Father Mouse : Don't quite know everything, do you?

• Father Mouse : Albert.

  Albert : Yes, Father.

  Father Mouse : There's something we have to talk about.

  Albert : I said, "Yes, Father".

  Father Mouse : "Yes, Father", what?

  Albert : I wrote the letter. My friends and I, that is. "All of us".

• Father Mouse : [after Albert tries out Mr. Trundle's model clock]  What's the matter with you? You wanna wake everyone up?

  Albert : That's pretty neat. Does it work in a gear and pinion principle or an AC synchronous motor?

  Father Mouse : Well, it's more of a - a gear, what? Synchronous uh, who?

  Albert : Ever since Copernicus, Dad, it was known that...

  Father Mouse : Never mind, never mind, you may know algebra, son, but this time, the whole town's counting on this clock.

• Father Mouse : Mr. Trundle's been hard at work making a special clock.

  [pointing to the model clock] 

  Father Mouse : There's the model. When the clock strikes twelve on Christmas Eve, it'll play a song welcoming Santa. Does that sound like a man who doesn't believe?

  Albert : A song?

  [jumping onto the clock's face] 

  Albert : Is that when the hands come together like this?

  [he turns the minute hand to 12, and music emits] 

• Father Mouse : [seeing Albert crying]  What is it?

  Albert : My fault... all my fault... I've ruined everyone's Christmas.

  Father Mouse : I know. I know you wrote the letter, Albert. You told us so, and that was honest of you. But as you said, it *was* your opinion.

  Albert : No, that isn't it. Something else.

  Father Mouse : What else?

  Albert : Mr... Mr. Trundle's clock - at the village hall. I... I wanted to see how it worked, so I climbed into it and...

  Father Mouse : Kerplunk?

  Albert : Kerplowie...

  Father Mouse : You broke the clock?

  Albert : I - I didn't mean it, Father; I'm sorry... so sorry...

  Father Mouse : It's not enough to be sorry; when you've done something wrong, you have to correct the thing you did.