TaleSpin

Plot Summary

 Death to Pasta and Pancakes!

Molly Cunningham wears a colander on her head and prepares to be the superhero Danger Woman. She picks up a spatula and says she must stop someone from stealing secret documents. She walks over to his mother and knocks over a pile of neatly organized business papers. Rebecca Cunningham, her mother, glares at her. Rebecca picks up Molly and takes her out to the Sea Duck. She finds the mechanic Wildcat using an Alto saxophone to examine a porthole. Rebecca asks Wildcat to keep an eye on Molly, explaining that her imagination has run wild. Wildcat takes out a net and offers to catch it. Rebecca says that keeping her daughter away from her for the afternoon will suffice.

 Why Is There a Human Child in This Story?

Wildcat starts to play games with Molly. He says he recognizes her as Danger Woman, and Molly confirms. Wildcat asks if Molly wants to see a real pirate chest, and Molly says that she does. Wildcat opens a chest and starts taking out items. He takes out three bowling balls and a rake. He calls the rake an elephant comb. He takes out a hairbrush and a pair of ear muffs. He places the ear muffs on Molly and says it is a radio headset. Wildcat runs around the room, pretending to be a plane. He asks for permission to land, but Molly, as the air traffic controller, warns that he is surrounded by air pirates. Wildcat dives into the chest, and it closes.

When he returns from the chest, he has a book called Flight of the Snow Duck balanced on his head. Molly asks about the book, and Wildcat blows dust off of it. He reads the title, and Molly wants him to read it to her. Wildcat obliges and opens the book. The tale is about a little girl running from dragons. A giant, snow duck saves the girl from the dragon. Molly helps Wildcat read some of the words and asks if the snow duck helps all people. Wildcat says that it does. The story continues with the duck evading the dragons by diving into an ice cave. Wildcat concludes the story, and Molly asks what snow is. She does not know. Wildcat picks up a bowling ball and says that it is the exact opposite: not black, not hard, and not heavy.

 Stowing Away to Thembria.

Molly runs up to Baloo, who is loading cargo onto his plane the Sea Duck. Baloo says that he does not want to be reminded about snow. He explains that he as to deliver a package to the military dictatorship of Thembria later in the day. Wildcat tells Molly that Thembria is covered in snow as it is an Arctic country. Molly is excited and wants to go to Thembria. Baloo warns her away from doing so as it is a rough country not suited for small children, even its own. Molly asks Wildcat if they can go to Thembria. Wildcat remembers that Rebecca told him to keep Molly as far away from the office as possible. He agrees to take her to Thembria. Baloo starts the Sea Duck to fly to Thembria. Wildcat and Molly run alongside and jump in the side hatch. Molly wears warm clothes for the frigid weather. The Sea Duck and its stowaways fly to Thembria.

 A Stack of Papers.

In Thembria, Baloo visits the customs official. He says that he has a delivery of pink flamingo lawn ornaments to deliver. The customs official says that he should fill out a tall stack of forms while they unload the plane. Baloo asks why he has to fill out so many forms, and the official says that they are a formally apology for parking too close to the dock. Baloo says that they should not shoot him for a mistake. The official slams the table with a riding crop and says that such an action could be arranged for insolence.

Outside, Wildcat and Molly climb out of the snow duck. Wildcat points to the wet, white powder covering the ground and says it is snow. Snow also falls from the sky. Molly loves it. She and Wildcat begin to play in the snow. Wildcat demonstrates the properties of snow by throwing it into the air and letting it fall on his head. He explains that you can build anything out of snow. He begins rolling a ball of snow to make the base of a snowman. Molly is excited.

 "Communism is Painting Pink Flamingos Blue." - Marx

Back in the customs building, the unloading and form filling continue. Baloo asks what they do with the pink flamingos. The customs official says that they paint them blue and sell them back to Cape Suzette for half the price. Baloo says that they are losing money, and the customs official explains it is not about economics. He calls it a power struggle -- one side needs to surrender and keep the flamingos. Baloo asks why they paint them blue instead of keeping them pink. The official says that he has never heard of a pink flamingo. Baloo says that flamingos are only blue when they are frozen, such as in Thembria.

 You're Coming with Us, Pal.

The workers begin painting the Sea Duck blue. Baloo exclaims and asks why they are painting the plane. The official states that the plane's tail has an official stamp declaring it a flamingo. A worker nearby continues to stamp flamingos with the same stamp. Baloo says that it is a mistake and tries to wipe off the mark. He manages to make the stamp ink disappear. The official shouts that Baloo has defaced state property. Guards descend on Baloo.

Back outside, Molly and Wildcat continue to play in the snow. They finish building a snow bear and place ears on it so that it can listen. Molly wants to bring the snowman back to Cape Suzette to show her mother. Wildcat says that such an action can be arranged. Molly asks how Wildcat can pretend so well, and Wildcat says that it is all in imagination. Wildcat then finds a metal toboggan nearby but has trouble pronouncing what it is. Molly helps him, and he says they could go for a ride in the metal hull. Molly likes the idea, and Wildcat loads her into the shell. She asks if the snowman can come along for the ride. Wildcat hurries over to the snowman and places it into the toboggan.

 Pull Over!

Molly and Wildcat shove off and begin their journey. They slide down the embankment. Molly squeals with joy. They slide through a snow drift, and Wildcat is covered in snow. They slide past a police cruiser. The police note that the toboggan is going 30 in a 35 zone. They then realize that Wildcat and Molly are smiling. Having fun in the snow is a capital offense in Thembria. The police chase after Wildcat and Molly and order them to pull over. Wildcat says that the toboggan does not have breaks. Wildcat and Molly skid to a halt while the police cruiser rams into a pile of snow. Wildcat states that it is fun to land in snow. The police take Wildcat and Molly into custody at gunpoint.

 No! Melty! Why Was Your Name So Apt?

Wildcat and Molly are immediately put on trial. An announcer announces the proceedings and lists the charges. The crimes include frolicking in the snow and failure to compliment the judge on his new hair style. The judge bangs a gavel and asks how Wildcat pleads. Wildcat falls on his knees and pleads for leniency. He says that they are tourists and were unaware of the country's customs. The judge does not accept ignorance as a defense. The announcer announces the identity of the prosecution: Colonel Spigot.

Colonel Spigot bursts into the courtroom and begins laying out his case. He says that he will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Wildcat and Molly are guilty of all the crimes listed. He demands to know where Wildcat was on May 21 8 years ago. Oddly, Wildcat knows and says that he was at a bowling alley with friends. He even states what they were doing -- he bowled gutter balls, his friend bowled a 300, and his other friend drank milkshakes. Colonel Spigot does not expect such a detailed answer and instead asks what he was doing that morning. Wildcat cannot remember, and Spigot says that he can remind him. Guards wheel in a melted snowman. Molly gasps and says that their snowman is melty. Spigot says that this exclamation counts as a confession. Molly says that they were planning on taking the snowman back to Cape Suzette. Colonel Spigot takes this statement as a further confession that they are trying to steal Thembrian snow.

 Disco Bulb.

The judge says that he cannot see a snowman in the pile of melted snow. Molly says the judge should use his imagination. Everyone in the courtroom is shocked. Imagination is a capital offense in Thembria. The judge sentences the accused to a thousand years each in prison.

 Escape Failure.

A guard show Wildcat and Molly to their prison barracks. He states that it has all of the latest amenities including cold and colder running water, a reading light, and fan for some reason. The guard leaves. Molly is worried, but Wildcat tries to comfort her. He says that the snow duck will save them. Molly believes in the snow duck and hugs Wildcat. At this point, Baloo is tossed into the room. He explains that he received 2,000 years for not complimenting the judge's hair. Wildcat says that he and Molly will get out before Baloo and asks if he wants them to water his plants. Baloo says they should start planning an escape, but Molly thinks they should wait for the snow duck to come rescue them. Baloo thinks they should at least try to escape on their own.

Baloo starts his escape attempts. He takes a long icicle and tries to pole vault over the fence. The ice snaps under his weight, and he is thrown into the fence. The tensile strength of the fence throws him back into the barracks. Molly again says that they should wait for the snow duck. Baloo says he can at least keep trying until the snow duck arrives. Baloo tries a several more unsuccessfull attempts at escaping. He tries to jump into a passing truck and breaks through the bottom of the vehicle. He takes the shock absorbers off another truck and tries to jump over the fence. He fails and repeatedly bounces into the bottom of a guard tower. He tries to make a catapult but is launched into the ground. He gives up for the day and returns to the barracks.

 There Is No Santa Claus!

Wildcat and Molly play with their dinner as Baloo arrives. Wildcat pretends that they are in an expensive restaurant. Molly takes a sip of the gruel given to them by the guards and finds it delicious. She compliments Wildcat on the soup. Baloo sits down and tries the gruel. He spits it out. He then gets an idea about digging out of the prison with the spoon. He tears up the floorboards and tells Wildcat and Molly that they need to find a way to dispose of the snow. Baloo starts to dig, and Molly says that they should wait for the snow duck. Baloo shouts at her that there is no snow duck. She cries and runs out of the barracks. Wildcat tells Baloo it is not nice to shatter a child's reality and force them to confront the gravity of the situation. Baloo asks Wildcat to apologize on his behalf. Wildcat heads outside the barracks to find Molly.

 Imagination!

Molly sits on a bench and cries. Wildcat asks if she wants to play in the snow. Molly says no. Wildcat makes a donut out of snow and asks if she wants to eat it. Molly says that she does not as it is not real. Wildcat says that she should use her imagination. Molly does not want to use her imagination as it has not served her well so far. Wildcat explains that he is not the smartest person in the world but know that an imagination is very important. He says that nothing can happen unless you imagine it first. He makes a model snow duck out of snow. Molly perks up and says that they need to make a much larger snow duck. She says it needs to be big enough to fly them out of the prison.

 The Volume of the Bucket is Less Than the Hole.

Molly starts her plan to get them out of prison. She walks over to a guard and asks for a bucket of water. The guard explains that there is a water shortage because the water keeps turning to ice. Molly uses her cuteness to convince him to give her the water. The guard uses a water tower to give her the water. Molly and Wildcat get to work building a plane out of ice. They dig molds into the snow and pour water into them. The water freezes into different components of the plane. Wildcat goes into the barracks and takes the fan. Baloo continues to try and dig out of the prison. Wildcat mounts the fan on the ice plane. The wings and tail are carved and attached to the plane. The plane readies completion.

 Ice Plane.

Wildcat and Molly are ready to show the plane to Baloo. They go into the barracks and find him frozen. They break him free and show him the ice plane. Baloo is impressed with Molly's imagination. She says that the plane is called the Snow Duck. Wildcat asks if Baloo can fly the ice plane. Baloo thinks it is a little rough but should be able to skate across the snow. He places everyone on the plane and starts the engine. He taxis the ice plane to a long stretch of open snow. Molly jumps off and runs to get something. A guard hears the engine of the plane and tells Wildcat and Baloo to stop. He points a rifle at them. Molly arrives and throws a bucket of ice onto the guard. The guard is knocked unconscious. She boards the plane and puts the bucket on Wildcat's head. She says it is a flight helmet.

 Loading a Plane into Another, Bigger Plane.

The group escape on the Snow Duck. Baloo pilots the ice plane towards a snow ramp pointing towards the fence. Colonel Spigot shouts that the prisoners are escaping. The guards shoot at the escaping prisoners and fighters are scrambled to shoot them out of the air. Baloo hits the ramp, and the Snow Duck takes flight. They head to the airstrip to get the Sea Duck, but Baloo spots that it is being loaded onto a cargo plane to be sold back to Cape Suzette at half price. A guard remarks that the Sea Duck is the largest flamingo it has ever seen.

 Echo. Echo. Echo.

Thembrian fighters engage the Snow Duck. Baloo tries evasive maneuvers, but the ice plane is too heavy. The bullets begin to chip away at the plane. Baloo takes them over snow, and the planes lose visual tracking. The ice plane blends in with the snow. The snow transitions to a lake, and the plane open fire on the Snow Duck again. A wing is shot off, and WIldcat uses his helmet bucket to get water from the lake. He tosses it on the wing, and wing miraculously reforms. The fighters continue to fire. Molly says that the snow duck in the story lost its pursuers by ducking into a rabbit hole. She points to a cave. Baloo flies into the cave, and the Thembrian fighters crash as they try to follow. The ice plane flies through a pipeline and exits into a canyon. Thembrian bombers begin dropping bath tubs. Baloo wonders how they are going to escape as they are stuck in the canyon. Molly says that the snow duck of the story let out a mighty quack that caused the destruction of its pursuers. Baloo starts quacking, and Wildcat and Molly join. The quacking bounces off the walls of the canyon and causes an avalanche. The snow buries the bombers. Baloo and his group celebrate.

 Uh-oh.

Baloo flies the ice plane South, towards Cape Suzette. He proclaims that he enjoys feeling the sunshine on his face. He then realizes the implications. The ice plane melts, and the engine drops away from them. The trio fall through the sky. They scream briefly but land on something in the clouds. They look down and find themselves standing on top of the Thembrian cargo plane transporting the flamingos to Cape Suzette. They climb down a hatch and fly the Sea Duck out of its hold. They then fly the Sea Duck back to Cape Suzette.

 What's So Funny?

Rebecca finishes her work for the day and walks outside to retrieve Molly from Wildcat. She notices that the Sea Duck is painted blue. She walks into the Sea Duck and asks Baloo why the plane is blue. Molly and Wildcat play with flamingos. Molly says that her mother should not let her imagine run away with her. Everyone laughs, except Rebecca. She does not get the joke.