Good morning, Jon. Sorry to disturb you.
I know you have a busy social calendar...
but if you'll be so kind as to go to the kitchen and fix me a huge breakfast...
I will allow you to come back to bed and finish your sleep.
[Militaristic instrumental music]
Rise and shine, Jon Arbuckle!
It's time to serve your nation as you serve your fellow men.
Yes, it's time to serve them pancakes. Pancakes the size of Australia.
And coffee. Yes, Jon, coffee.
We wouldn't be the great nation we are if it weren't for coffee.
So do your patriotic duty, Jon Arbuckle, and fix me breakfast!
[Militaristic instrumental music continues]
I wonder if people with goldfish have this problem.
[Comical instrumental music]
I trust breakfast met with your satisfaction?
It was filling.
But about those pancakes...
Next time, a little less pan, a little more cake, okay?
Well, stomach, I guess it's time for our early mid-morning nap.
[Barking]
Check that. It's time to abuse the dog.
Kids, don't try this at home.
GARFIELD: Hello, what's this?
"Take Garfield to vet's today."
Oh, no! Not the vet!
Jon can't take me to the vet. That's inhumane.
The vet thinks she knows what's good for me. Good for her.
But that's bad for me, because what's bad is good for me.
But if I go to the vet, and that's bad...
she'll prescribe what's good for me, and that's not good.
Maybe if today disappeared, Jon will forget about his little note.
Here, Odie. Wednesdays are good, and good for you.
Hello, what's this?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!
[Ceremonial instrumental music]
Do you see that, Odie? Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.
That's the day people celebrate having food...
by eating as much of it as possible.
Yes, that's the day people try to eat...
every turkey, pumpkin, and cranberry on the face of the earth.
It's a tradition, and you know how I love tradition.
[Fast-paced instrumental music]
Nice calendar.
GARFIELD: Thanksgiving! Food. Eat. Tradition.
Yes, I know tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Which reminds me...
we had better go to the grocery store to get lots of good things to eat.
I'm with you.
Do the mashed potato Do the candied yam
Do the funky turkey 'Cause it's time to jam
If you don't want to dance Baby, that's all right
Do some non-stop shopping
To work up an appetite
Make your Thanksgiving one long meal
'Cause the more you eat
The more grateful you are gonna feel
Now, this is what Thanksgiving is all about.
Thanksgiving is cookies.
Thanksgiving is pie filling. Thanksgiving is coleslaw.
Drive carefully, Jon. I don't want to bruise my kumquats.
Wait a minute. Where are we going, Jon?
- This isn't the way home. - We're going to the vet, Garfield.
[Garfield screaming]
GARFIELD: No!
[Comical instrumental music]
[Shivering nervously]
Now just relax.
If you want me to relax, take me to Hawaii.
I'm only bringing you to the vet for a checkup.
Check out. You're only bringing me here to check out the vet.
Why not marry her? Then she could make house calls.
LIZ: Next.
Hi, Liz. How've you...
LIZ: That's Dr. Wilson to you. Put the cat here.
[Whistling]
- So, Liz... - That's Doctor to you.
So, Dr. Liz, how about that weather?
That's a rather personal question, don't you think, Mr. Arbuckle?
I can see this relationship is off to a roaring stop.
JON: How about a date? LIZ: I'd sooner die.
- Well, don't do that. - Mr. Arbuckle, please.
You can call me Jon.
I can call out for pizza, too, but I won't call you that.
- Call me what? - Jon.
Made you say it.
[Laughing]
Don't blame Jon.
Snappy repartee does not come easily to a dip.
- Okay, I'm giving you one last chance, Liz. - Doctor.
JON: Doctor, will you go out with me? LIZ: No.
Okay, one more chance.
- Never. - Okay, I can take a hint.
I'll just stand here quietly.
I'll just stand here and hold my breath until you say you'll go out with me.
[Tense instrumental music]
[Grunting]
That'll impress her.
Mr. Arbuckle, I've examined your cat and I have some good news and bad news.
I hate this part.
The good news is your cat is healthy as a horse.
Hear that, Jon? The woman is a great physician. A specialist.
The bad news is he's also big as a horse. He'll have to go on a diet.
Quack! She's a quack! Get me out of here!
- I'm gonna put your cat on a diet. - This can't be happening to me.
You must restrict his intake of sugar and starches.
LIZ: He could use a little exercise, also. GARFIELD: Exercise?
LIZ: Feed him a lot of high-fiber foods, and see that he drinks plenty of water.
Bear in mind, Mr. Arbuckle, the quality of a cat's nutrition...
determines the quality of a cat's life.
If you love your pet, you'll take good care of him...
and he'll be around for a long, long time.
[Screaming]
[Drum roll]
Okay. I'll go out with you.
[Comical instrumental music]
- Really? - I can't stand to see a dumb animal suffer.
Great! Tomorrow. My place.
I'll fix a big Thanksgiving dinner. You're gonna love it.
At least we won't be seen in public together.
- And then this weekend, we'll... - Don't push it, buster.
JON: Okay. LIZ: Mr. Arbuckle!
- Yes? - You forgot your cat.
My cat? My cat.
[Happy instrumental music]
Got a date with my dream chick
Gonna impress her and make her my girl
Woe is me.
I'm being put on a diet and I'm gonna die.
Here, Garfield, have some food. According to your diet, you get this.
That's it? That's all? Just one scraggly piece of lettuce?
I'm sorry, Garfield. That's not what you get.
I should hope not.
- You get half a leaf of lettuce. - That's better.
[Sullen instrumental music]
Gee, I've been on this diet only 10 minutes and I can tell I've already lost something:
My sense of humor.
[Impish instrumental music]
[Whistle blowing]
JON: Caught you.
Well, what did you do? Booby-trap the refrigerator or something?
Garfield, I'd like you to meet my new diet monitor, Odie the Fierce.
[Barking]
[Growling]
Odie will be watching your every move. And every time you go off your diet...
he'll blow his whistle and I will come running.
That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in my life.
I'm gonna put an end to this charade right now.
Someday you're going to thank me for this, Garfield.
[Chuckling]
You're in desperate trouble, mister.
Well, I might as well see how the old diet's going.
FEMALE VOICE: Hello. I'm RX-2, your talking scale.
I can tell you your weight, your fortune...
or just about anything else you would like to know.
Okay, smarty-pants, what's my name?
FEMALE VOICE: Judging by your weight, you are Orson Welles.
Great. A voice chip with a cruel streak.
FEMALE VOICE: May I have your autograph, please?
Shut up. Why is everybody picking on me?
What's wrong with being large-boned, anyway?
FEMALE VOICE: I have seen all your movies.
How would you like to have your battery removed?
FEMALE VOICE: I wouldn't like that, Mr. Welles.
It's not like I'm all that overweight. I can still see my feet.
FEMALE VOICE: I've seen Citizen Kane eight times.
All right, that's it. You're history.
[Beeping]
FEMALE VOICE: Rosebud.
Are you anywhere around here, boy?
It's snack time.
[Fast-paced instrumental music]
[Fast-paced instrumental music continues]
The lack of food must be making me hallucinate.
[Militaristic instrumental music]
Good morning, Garfield. Sleep well?
[Growling]
Well, aren't we nasty today?
Save your energy, Garfield. Nothing you do can spoil my good mood.
It's Thanksgiving, and I have a dinner date with a dreamboat.
Which reminds me, she'll be here in about three hours.
So I better get the old turkey out of the freezer.
[Scatting]
Gonna fix dinner for the girl I love
First we start with the bird. Let's see here.
"Remove bird from freezer at least 24 hours before cooking."
I'm sure that's just a minor technicality.
Yum, yum. Turkey on a stick.
"Remove giblets from cavity...
"and stuff with one cup of prepared stuffing."
You can't believe everything you read.
I can hardly bear to watch.
"Place in roasting pan, breast side up.
"Rub skin with butter."
I don't see what good that will do, but, okay.
"Cover with foil and roast at 325 degrees for five-and-a-half hours."
I guess I'll just have to speed things up a bit.
500 degrees.
That was easy. Okay, now for the vegetables.
JON: Let's see: Corn, broccoli, brussel sprouts, turnips, squash...
Be still, my beating heart.
Add water, and done.
To hear Mom and Grandma talk...
I always thought preparing a Thanksgiving meal was tough.
I'll get back to this later. I'd better spruce myself up a bit.
Thanksgiving. Humbug.
What good is it if you're on a diet?
If I can't enjoy Thanksgiving, nobody will.
You know, old buddy, if you want something in this world...
you've just got to reach out and grab it. Know what I mean?
I mean, I'm a man, right?
Well, you're a wimpy man. But, yeah, you're a man.
And Liz, she's a woman, right?
No, Jon, she's a veterinarian. And a cruel one, at that.
It's time this relationship with Liz got started.
She's the one I want, and I intend to get her.
Careful, you're sweating off your shaving cream.
I'm going to win her heart, Garfield. You'll see.
I'm in control of my own destiny.
Ever consider putting someone else in charge of your destiny?
JON: Garfield, I need help.
Understatement of the year.
As you know, clothes make the man.
I need your frank opinion on what to wear for dinner.
How about the formal look?
Semi-formal?
Informal?
High roller.
The sporty look.
Disco Jon.
Peace.
The rugged individualist.
[Comical instrumental music]
[Panting]
I'm running out of clothes. You got any suggestions?
- Yeah, try dressing as yourself. - Maybe if I just dressed as myself.
The guy has a shaky grasp of the obvious.
- How's this? - Bingo!
With one teeny, tiny, little exception.
Oh, boy! She's here, Garfield. She actually came.
When it comes to insecurity, Jon's a heavyweight.
- Liz, nice to see you. - Nice polka-dot boxer shorts.
[Fast-paced instrumental music]
Thanks for telling me I wasn't wearing any pants, Garfield.
Sure. Blame it on the pet.
Come on. I want you to be nice to my dinner guest.
First I have to be a fashion consultant, now I have to be an actor.
Come in, my dear.
Welcome to my humble abode. It's not much, but we like to call it home.
Yeah, come in, Doc. Tell me, are you fond of indigestion?
[Sniffing]
Something smells.
That's just a little Thanksgiving dinner I whipped up.
I was afraid of that.
Make yourself comfortable.
I need to slip into the kitchen and take care of a few last-minute details.
Yeah, like finding something to eat.
So, Garfield, how's the diet?
I see you're still the size of an aircraft carrier.
While you're here, I might as well check you for deficiencies.
I don't want you to become anemic.
Don't forget beri-beri, rickets, and scurvy, too, Doc.
Sometimes people who suffer from vitamin deficiencies due to dieting...
can become listless.
They can also be irritable, or nervous.
Sometimes they suffer from an uncontrollable twitch.
Or even dementia.
They may even have difficulty in breathing.
[Gasps]
You know, Garfield, maybe this diet has been too hard on you.
I'd rather see you fat and healthy than like this.
Maybe I could let you skip the diet for right now...
and start you with some mild exercise instead.
Would you like that?
[Happy instrumental music]
I'm free! I can eat.
Oh, joy, oh, rapture... Oh, no!
[Comical instrumental music]
Hey, Jon, another frozen dinner?
Everything is ruined, Garfield. What can I do? I'm doomed.
Liz will never speak to me again.
[Sullen instrumental music]
Very funny, Garfield. I can't feed Liz this.
Jon, you nitwit.
This is Grandma's favorite record. Should I play it for Liz?
This old pillow Grandma crocheted is comforting...
but it still doesn't solve the problem with dinner.
I'm not cold.
Why did you drag out the sweater Grandma made for me last Christmas?
Last chance.
I know. I'll call Grandma. She'll know what to do.
Jon, you're a genius!
If he had a brain, he'd be dangerous.
[Clock ticking]
Thanks, Grandma. You're a lifesaver. See you in a few.
[Motorbike approaching]
[Motorbike brakes squealing]
Have cooking utensils, will travel.
[Laughing]
What are you just standing there for?
Get in there, spark your young lady friend...
and leave the kitchen to Grandma.
Now, where's the patient?
How's dinner coming?
Great, just great. It's simmering, or whatever food does.
- Can I give you a hand? - No, thanks.
One of the things I always like to do for Thanksgiving, right before the meal...
is to reminisce on the real meaning of Thanksgiving.
Are you serious?
What is Thanksgiving? Is it a day just like any other day?
No. Is it an object, like my old trusty chair here?
No! Thanksgiving is a holiday.
A harvest festival, really. A day for giving thanks for our blessings.
You are serious.
How's my favorite kitty-cat today?
Better, now that you're here, Grandma.
You're looking a little thin. Isn't that grandson of mine feeding you?
Grandma, I love you. Don't ever leave us.
My, my.
What have we here? It looks like something the cat dragged in.
If you'll pardon the expression, Garfield.
Well, I love a challenge, and this sure as heck looks like one.
Stand back, Garfield! This is war!
Now, the first Thanksgiving was in 1621. The Pilgrims had had a good harvest...
so Governor Bradford declared a three-day feast.
They invited their Indian friends to join them, and everyone brought food.
There was venison, turkey, duck, fish...
[Chainsaw running]
What's that?
Sounds like the dishwasher.
So, there was hot cornmeal bread and Indian pudding and...
Ever had Grandma's famous turkey croquettes, Garfield?
Nothing finer.
Go, Grandma!
We'll whip together some white sauce: Parsley, lemon juice, some grated onion.
Add our turkey to the sauce, make some breading...
roll our mixture in the breading, and deep-fat fry.
Deep-fat fry! Music to my ears.
Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed...
the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving, in 1863, you see.
Now, get this. In Canada, they celebrate Thanksgiving, too...
but it's not on the fourth Thursday of November.
They celebrate it on the second Monday in October. Isn't that wild?
I had no idea.
How about some sweet potatoes?
Now, come on, Garfield. You never had Grandma's sweet potatoes.
This is true.
A cup of butter, a cup of brown sugar, and some marshmallows.
I'm starting to like them already.
JON: Guess where it would be...
if you were to bow before a shrine of candles and offer a bowl of rice?
Any guesses?
It would be in Japan, and they call it Labor Thanksgiving Day.
Have you ever seen my split-second cranberry sauce?
Too late. You blinked, Garfield.
And now, for the pi�ce de r�sistance:
Pumpkin pie.
Skip the piece of resistance. Just give me a piece of pie.
[Fast-paced instrumental music]
Nice touch.
Now I'll just slip quietly out the door.
You tell that young lady of his...
that she couldn't find a better man than Jon...
and she better not blow it, or she'll have to answer to me.
And, Garfield, eat a piece of pie for me.
[Sentimental instrumental music]
[Motorbike starting]
They just don't make them like that anymore.
And in England, their Thanksgiving is called Harvest Home Day.
Now, in Bolivia...
I think things should just about be ready.
Where am I?
Dinner is served, madame.
[Gasps]
- Jon, I'm so impressed. - So am I.
It's a quiet celebration
With family and friends
A time for counting blessings
A time to make amends
There's a feeling all around you
You can hold it in your hands
And pass it round the table
For all to understand
Though tomorrow
May take us far away
Let's stick together now
Let's find a way somehow
To feel Thanksgiving every day
[Romantic instrumental music]
That was a wonderful meal. Thanks for inviting me, Jon.
- Same time next year? - That would be nice.
I'll be here before the meal, but after the history lesson.
[Door closing]
Well, it was a great day.
And judging by the looks of you two and your bellies...
I'd say you had a great day, too.
I know one thing I'm thankful for today:
Grandma.
Let's take a little walk and try to work off some of this food, boys.
[Grunting]
[Panting]
Come on, boy. Come on, Odie.
Oh, no. Not you, too.
I suppose we'll have to put you on a diet as of right now.
[Whimpering]
[Whistle blowing]
All right, Odie, give me 10.
And wipe that stupid smile off your face.
Come on, soldier. I said down and 10.
One, and two.
Are we having fun yet?
One, and two.