Polar bearexpress

On Christmas Eve, many years ago…

…I lay quietly in my bed.

I did not rustle the sheets.

I breathed slowly and silently.

I was listening for a sound

I was afraid Id never hear.

The ringing bells of Santas sleigh.

All right. All right, Sarah,

you had your water.

Now lets get you upstairs

and into bed.

But… But… But, I have to…

He said Santa would have to

fly faster than light…

…to get to every house in one night.

And to hold everyones presents…

…his sled would be bigger

than an ocean liner.

Your brother said that? He was just

kidding you. He knows theres a Santa.

He said he wasn sure.

He wasn sure if Santa was for real.

Of course Santa is real.

Hes as real as Christmas itself.

But he won come until you
e

sound asleep, young lady.

Sweet dreams.

Santa will be here before you know it.

So go to sleep.

”Stark, barren.

Devoid of life. ”

Hes gotta be asleep by now.

He used to stay awake all night

waiting for Santa.

Think those days are just about over.

That would be sad if that were true.

Yeah, an end of the magic.

Merry Christmas, sweetheart.

See, hes out like a light.

An express train

wouldn wake him up now.

”End of the magic ”?

All aboard!

All aboard!

Well? You coming?

Where?

Why, to the North Pole, of course.

This is the Polar Express.

The North Pole?

I see.

Hold this, please.

Thank you.

Is this you?

– Yeah.

– Well, it says here…

…no photo with a department-store

Santa this year, no letter to Santa.

And you made your sister

put out the milk and cookies.

Sounds to me like

this is your crucial year.

If I were you, I would think

about climbing onboard.

Come on, come on.

Ive got a schedule to keep.

Suit yourself.

Cause thats the way things happen

On the Polar Express

Whoo, whoo, the whistle blows

Thats the sound of her singing

Ding, ding, the bell will ring

Golly, look at her go

You wonder if well get there soon

Anybodys guess

Cause thats the way things happen

On the Polar Express

When we get there

Well scream, ”Yay! ”

Well arrive with

A bang, bang, bang

Boom, boom, boom

Laughing all the way

With a comfy seat and lots to eat

Boy, its just the best

Wish it wouldn ever have to end

With a little luck, well be on time

Theres no need to stress

Cause thats the way things happen

On the Polar Express

Hey. Hey, you. Yeah, you.

Do you know what kind of train this is?

Train. Do you know what kind of train

this is? Do you?

Of course.

Its a magic train.

– We
e going to the North Pole.

– I know its a magic train.

Its a Baldwin – – S -class

steam locomotive…

…built in at the Baldwin Locomotive

Works. It weighs pounds and…

Are we really going to the North Pole?

– Hey, look!

– Isn that wonderful?

Herpolsheimers! Herpolsheimers!

Wow, look at all those presents.

I want all of them.

Its so Christmassy and cozy

and beautiful!

Tickets.

Tickets, please.

Tickets.

Ticket, please.

Try your pocket.

Try your other pocket.

Thank you, sir.

Hey, watch out, there.

Thank you, sir.

That is a public-address microphone.

It is not a toy.

Boy, that guy sure likes to show off.

Look what that wise guy

punched on my ticket.

– ”L-E. ” What the heck does that mean?

– Next stop, Edbrooke.

We
e heading for the other side

of the tracks.

Well? You coming?

Its just another pickup.

Thats weird. I thought you were

supposed to be the last one.

Why, to the North Pole, of course.

This is the Polar Express.

Suit yourself.

Hey, that kid wants

to get on the train.

Come on!

Hurry up!

We have to stop the train.

– I don know how.

– Pull the emergency brake!

Who in the blazes applied

that emergency brake?!

He did.

You.

In case you didn know, that cord

is for emergency purposes only.

And in case you weren aware,

tonight is Christmas Eve.

And in case you hadn noticed,

this train is on a very tight schedule.

Now, young man, Christmas

may not be important to some people…

…but it is very important

to the rest of us!

But… But…

He was just trying to stop the train

so that kid could get on.

I see. Young man,

is that what happened?

Well…

Let me remind you we are

on a very tight schedule.

And Ive never been late before…

…and I am certainly not

going to be late tonight.

Now, everybody, take your seats, please!

Thank you.

Your attention, please.

Are there any Polar Express passengers

in need of refreshment?

– Me! Me! Me!

– I thought so.

– Hot, hot

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Hey, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Say, we got it

Hot chocolate

Hot, hot

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

– So we got it

– Hot, hot

Yo, we got it

– Hot chocolate

– Here weve only got one rule

Never, ever let it cool

Keep it cooking in the pot

– Then you got

– Hot chocolate

– Hot, hot

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Hey, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Say, we got it

Hot chocolate

Hot, hot

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

– So we got it

– Hot, hot

Yo, we got it

– Hot chocolate

– Here we only got one rule

Here we only got one rule

Never, ever let it cool

Never, ever let it cool

Keep it cooking in the pot

Soon you got hot chocolate

– Hot, hot

– Hey, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Yeah, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

– Yeah, we got it

– Oh, we got it

– Hot, hot

Yeah, we got it

You know, Montezuma,

the king of the Aztecs…

…would drink quarts

of hot chocolate every day.

It was thick as mud and red.

He put chili pepper in instead of sugar.

– Get it? Hot chocolate?

– How do you know? Thats not true.

– Where you going with that?

– Its for him.

– I don think we
e to leave our seats.

– Its a violation of safety regulations…

…for a kid to cross moving cars

without a grown-up.

I think Ill be okay.

Are you sure?

What about this lad in the back?

Did he get any refreshment?

Well, lets take some to him,

by all means.

Watch your step, now. Watch your step.

She forgot her ticket.

It hasn been punched.

What are you doing?

You
e gonna get us in trouble!

Young lady, forgive me.

I believe I have neglected

to punch your ticket.

May I?

I left my ticket right here on the seat.

– But its gone.

– You mean…

…you have lost your ticket.

She didn lose her ticket.

I did.

I was trying to return it to you.

But the wind blew it out of my hand.

You can have my ticket.

These tickets are not transferable.

Young lady…

…you will just have to

come along with me.

You know whats gonna happen now?

Hes gonna throw her off the train.

Hes gonna probably throw her

off the rear platform.

Standard procedure. That way,

she won get sucked under the wheels.

They may slow the train down,

but they
e never gonna stop it.

Stop it?

Thats it! I have to stop the train again.

No, please, don do that again.

Whered they go?

What happened to them?

Please, shes in big trouble.

You have to help me.

Hey!

Hey!

I found your ticket! Wait!

Hey!

Wait!

I have your ticket!

Is there something I can do for you?

Im looking for a girl.

A gi…?

Ain we all?

I have her ticket.

Well, lookie. Lookie here. What is this?

This is an official, authentic,

genuine ticket to ride.

You better keep this

in a safe place, young man.

If I was you…

I keep all my valuables right here.

Right here in the old size .

Experience shows

this is the safest place.

Not that I have much use for those.

Tickets.

I ride for free.

Oh, yeah, yeah. I hop aboard this rattler

any time I feels like it.

I own this train. Oh, yeah.

Its like Im the king of this train.

Yeah. The king of the Pol Ex.

In fact, I am the king

of the North Pole!

Oh, wheres my manners? Sit, sit. Sit.

Take a load off.

Hey, would you like some Joe?

Nice hot refreshment.

Perfect for a cold winters night.

There. Bless you.

What about Santa?

– Santa?

– Isn he the king of the North Pole?

You mean this guy?

What exactly is your persuasion

on the big man?

Since you brought him up.

Well, I…

I want to believe.

– But…

– But you don wanna be bamboozled.

You don wanna be

led down the primrose path.

You don wanna be conned or duped,

have the wool pulled over your eyes.

Hoodwinked. You don wanna be

taken for a ride, railroaded.

Seeing is believing.

Am I right?

But what about this train?

What about it?

We
e all really going

to the North Pole…

…aren we?

Aren we?

Are you saying

that this is all just a dream?

You said it, kid. Not me.

So lets go find that girl.

One other thing.

Do you believe in ghosts?

Interesting.

Wait.

Wait!

Wait!

I have to wake up.

Yeah. I have to wake up.

Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

Wake up!

Kid!

Kid, get your head out of the clouds!

Wake up, kid!

Theres no sleepwalking

on the Polar Express.

We gotta jump them knuckles.

Come on, kid. Flip my shoulders.

Grab my lily.

That skirt you
e chasing

must have moved ahead.

– We gotta hightail it to the hog, pronto.

– To the hog?

The engine. The engine, you tenderfoot.

We gotta make the engine

before we hit Flat Top Tunnel.

How come?

So many questions.

There is but one inch of clearance

between the roof of this rattler…

…and the roof of Flat Top Tunnel.

Savvy?

Its just the run up to the hump, kid.

This will be interesting.

Get back on, kid. Hurry!

Grab my muck stick.

Theres only one trick to this, kid.

When I say ”jump ”…

…you jump!

You. I thought you got thrown off, and…

– You
e driving the train?

– They put me in charge.

– The engineer had to check the light.

– Heres the light. Careful.

All right, now.

I got it.

– How do you know how?

– Its easy. Come here, Ill show you.

This big lever here, thats the throttle.

This little one here, thats the brake.

And those are the pressure gauges.

And that rope is the whistle.

The whistle.

You wanna try it?

Ive wanted to do that my whole life.

Hold still! Hold still! Don move!

Look!

Stop the train! Stop the train!

Stop the train!

What?

They want us to stop the train.

– Which one is the brake?

– He told me this was.

– Who?

– The engineer.

– The engineer? This one looks like a brake.

– No, he said this was the brake.

Are you sure?

Are you sure?

Pull the brake!

Stop the train!

Caribou?

There can be no Christmas without

the Polar Express arriving on time.

Am I the only one who understands that?

You. I should have known.

Are you bound and determined that

this train never reaches the North Pole?

But look.

Caribou crossing?!

I make that herd to be at least

maybe even a million.

Its gonna be hours

before they clear this track.

– A tough nut to crack.

– We are in some serious jelly.

– And a jam.

– Tight spot.

– Up a creek.

– Up a tree.

– Lost in the grass.

– Ill tell you whats grass: Our a…

Problem solved. All ahead, slow.

We
e going pretty fast.

Tell the engineer to slow down.

Slow it down.

Watch the speed!

Jumping jeepers,

the cotter pin sheared off.

– What?

– The pin.

– Where?

– There.

– Oh, no.

– Oh, no.

– They can hear me.

– They can ?

I don like the look of this.

Under the safety bar.

Is everything all right?

What should we do?

Considering weve lost communication

with the engineer…

…we are standing totally exposed

on the front of the locomotive…

…the train appears to be

accelerating uncontrollably…

…and we are rapidly

approaching Glacier Gulch…

…which happens to be the steepest

downhill grade in the world…

…I suggest we all hold on…

…tightly.

– The pin.

– The pin.

Jiminy Christmas, the ice has frozen

over the tracks.

Hold on. Hold on. No, no.

Come on. Watch your step.

Come on, sweetie.

Up you go. Up you go.

Put your feet on here. On here.

Little adventure, huh?

Young man, quick thinking on your part.

Step to your left, please. To your left.

Well, that is more like it.

What in the name of Mike?

Look.

Get us the blazes out of here!

Turn this sled around.

Look there.

Tracks.

Dead ahead.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Hang a Louie.

Toss a Ritchie.

Port astern.

To the starboard.

– My slipper.

– You
e gonna lose your ticket.

Its not my ticket, its yours.

– Its my ticket?

– Yes.

Right. Keep up with me. Left.

Right. Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Left. Right.

– Oh, no!

– Oh, no!

Brace yourselves!

Well, thats more like it.

Thank you.

Thank you. I can believe

you found my ticket.

Did someone say they found a ticket?

Well, in that case… Tickets, please.

Thank you.

– ”L-E ”?

– Just like that know-it-all kid.

Watch your step.

Tricky walking up here.

Its mighty slick.

Mighty slick, I tell you.

There you go. What did I tell you?

Years ago, on my first Christmas Eve run,

I was up on the roof making my rounds…

…when I slipped on the ice myself.

I reached out for a hand iron,

but it broke off. I slid and fell.

And yet, I did not fall off this train.

Someone saved you?

Or something.

An angel.

Maybe.

Wait. Wait.

What did he look like? Did you see him?

No, sir. But sometimes

seeing is believing.

And sometimes the most real things

in the world are the things we can see.

The forsaken and the abandoned.

Mind your step, now.

These poor toys have suffered enough…

…being left to rust and decay in the

back alleys and vacant lots of the world.

What are they doing here?