♪ Every day when you're walking down the street ♪ ♪ Everybody that you meet has an original point of view.

♪ ( laughs ) ♪ And I say hey!

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ ♪ You got to listen to your heart ♪ ♪ Listen to the beat ♪ ♪ Listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the street ♪ ♪ Open up your eyes, open up your ears ♪ ♪ Get together and make things better by working together ♪ ♪ It's a simple message and it comes from the heart ♪ ♪ Believe in yourself ♪ ♪ For that's the place to start ♪ ♪ And I say hey!

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other.

♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ Hey!

What a wonderful kind of day.

♪ Hey!

ARTHUR: Hey, D.W. Hey!

Whoa!

( crash ) Mr. Haney will post the list that says which teacher we'll get this year.

( students whimper ) Oh, forgot a tack.

( all groan ) There are three teachers For third grade: Mrs. Sweetwater-- she's nice; Mrs. Fink-- She's fun... ( kids cheering ) MAN: Billy, name Three oceans.

ARTHUR: And Mr. Ratburn, the toughest, scariest teacher in school... No-- in the whole world.

No-- in the whole history of the world.

Oh, here comes the list.

Let's go look.

Arthur, we're in the rat's class.

( yelling ) ( roars like lion ) ( giggles ) ( yelling ) ARTHUR: Maybe you read the list wrong.

( gasping ) You're right.

It's Ratburn.

( dazedly ): Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn... Ratburn.

Free samples of a new flavor-- rocky rope.

All you can eat.

Maybe he's not as rigorous As everyone says.

FRANCINE: Prunella had him last year.

Let's ask her.

Is the Rat bad?

Does a bull fight?

He eats nails for breakfast without milk.

( screw clinks onto floor ) Don't ever answer any questions wrong or he'll send you to death row.

Death row?

RATBURN: Have you done your math exercises?

I did the first 5,000, sir.

Then you have 9,995,000 left.

Get to work.

And after that You have 37 million spelling words to memorize.

And you spiders, get moving!

And he's also a weird vampire With hypnotic magic powers.

( whimpers ) ( with Dracula-like accent ): You are in my power.

ALL ( dazedly ): We do not like recess.

Well, good luck.

( all groaning ) KIDS: Oh, he's coming.

( whispering fearfully ) ( gasps ) ( door creaks open ) Good morning, everyone.

( gulps ) Welcome to grade three.

My name is Mr. Ratburn.

He doesn't look so bad.

It's probably a trick.

Here's a two-minute math quiz to see what you remember.

I said it was a trick.

( kids laughing ) Boy: I love this.

♪ Welcome to the first day of school ♪ ♪ School is cool... ♪ RATBURN: Arthur Read-- you'd better concentrate on those problems before time's up.

( ticking ) ( school bell rings ) ( kids shout joyfully ) Class, you may now file out in an orderly fashion.

Quietly.

No talking.

Arthur Read!

Are you standing Ratburn gave us homework on the first day.

Get with it.

We're not dealing with a human being.

This is serious.

Whoa.

Whoa.

You find it yet?

RATBURN: Hello, this is Mr. Ratburn.

Shh.

RATBURN: I have all the eyes I need but I'm completely out of heads.

I can wait for girls' heads but I must have boys' heads immediately.

Wait, he'll see us-- and we have boys' heads!

There's no time.

I need them now.

I'll get them myself.

( yelling ) ( yelling ) What are you doing?

( both yell ) Ratburn-- he's looking for body parts: heads, boys' heads!

A vampire doesn't need heads.

ARTHUR: This is no ordinary vampire.

He's beyond vampire.

What's beyond a vampire?

A Ratburn.

( yelling ) Hey, what...?

Stand still!

He wants boy heads, not girls'.

Breakfast.

What do you think he'll do with that saw?

I read a book where kids discovered a scary mystery like this and became detectives to solve it.

We should probably investigate.

We have a lot of homework to do.

You're just a fraidycat.

Arthur, we have to choose: face horrifying, scary danger or do our homework.

BOTH: Horrifying, scary danger.

( crowd cheers ) ( cheering ) FRANCINE: I'm bored.

He's not doing anything weird.

You probably heard him talking about heads of lettuce.

Boy heads of lettuce?

Maybe grocers call the rotten ones that.

I'm going to do my homework.

Arthur, look!

Oh... ( watch beeping ) Maybe we should go do our homework.

Come on.

He went into the carnival.

Of course-- look at all those boy heads.

We've got to warn them!

Oh, no!

he's got us.

We're trapped.

There he goes.

Come on.

He went in there.

( yelling ) Okay, it was that one.

This is authentic, but I'd prefer a real action pose.

( horse neighs ) Sorry, sir.

Okay, I pick this time.

( both gasp ) One... two... three... Go!

( kids laughing ) Run away!

You're not safe!

He'll get you!

( laughing ) Huh?

RADIO: Hey, you're not in this story!

You're doing my lines.

I warn Jack to run away when he hears, "fee, fi, fo..." You know the drill.

( laughing ) RATBURN ( whispers ): Arthur, Buster.

Get off the stage.

Okay, fellas-- When you leave that castle, make a left down that beanstalk, and you'll be back in Elwood City.

( kids laugh ) Wow, the Rat does kids' puppet shows?

Jack, you're disorganized.

You'd forget your head if it wasn't attached.

Uh-uh, would not.

Grab your head and hide!

Here comes the giant!

( kids scream ) Arthur, look.

GIANT: Fee, fi, fo, fum!

KIDS: Ew, yuck!

RATBURN: They always crack.

I must use 50 boy heads a year.

Boy heads.

Boy heads.

I never have enough boy heads.

You make puppets?

Can't talk, boys.

I have 40 seconds to get Jack ready.

Must stay on schedule because of all I do.

You do a lot.

You're a teacher, a coach you work on the school paper.

I can't even find time to do my homework.

Learn to organize your time.

Some people think I give a lot of homework.

BOTH: Not us.

Learn good work habits and you'll discover... Jack, where are you?

( as Jack ): Just a second.

You're capable of more than you think.

I'll teach you how to do that homework and have more free time.

Like how you do all that stuff plus puppets?

Exactly-- two seconds early.

Self-discipline is as important to learn as two plus two.

( as Jack ): My head's on straight!

Man, your head's on straight but your body is backwards.

Please don't stand there.

I have to concentrate on my work.

Oh, sorry.

Boy, were we wrong!

Boys, I can't wait to see your geography projects tomorrow.

( yelling ) KIDS: And now... My teacher's name is Mrs. Erlandson.

Mrs. Erlandson.

Kids told me she was mean.

I wasn't scared of her.

Division in the second grade?

We can do it.

Then I found out she was nice.

I thought she'd be mean, but she wasn't.

She had purple shoes.

CHILD 2: Purple dress.

CHILD 3: Purple earrings, Purple shirt and purple shoes.

CHILD 4: She had decorations on her dress.

CHILD 5: She wears a bow every day on her hair.

CHILD 6: Beautiful and pretty.

She's not, like, grouchy all the time.

Uh-uh.

No.

She's fun.

She likes doing things.

CHILD 2: She likes yard sales.

CHILD 3: She likes to cook.

CHILD 4: She likes hot food.

She likes to eat Mexican food.

She likes to teach.

She teaches kids.

And every time she counts to three everybody gets into their seats.

One... Two... Three.

Fantastic.

She likes to sing.

♪ Sandwiches are beautiful, Sandwiches are fine ♪ ♪ I like sandwiches, I eat them all the time.

♪ She's the nicest teacher in the whole world.

And now... Do you think everybody gets nervous Before doing something important to them?

( thunder ) GIRL: Benjamin should you do this?

I have to.

( thunder ) Ouch, ouch!

I did it!

Ouch, ouch!

Ouch!

Hey, ouch!

This can't compare to a lightning storm so I shouldn't be afraid either.

HANEY: And next-- Arthur Read.

( applause and cheering ) ( cheering continues ) Good morning, Mr. Haney.

The all-school spellathon is coming up.

Everybody competing?

The third grade has the best spellers.

It used to, but now I' m in the fourth grade.

I won last year with the word "endurance."

Spell "endurance," Arthur.

I-N... ( girls giggling ) Forget it.

It's a good thing No one's depending on me to win.

Quiet, please.

Get your homework out.

An important announcement.

On Friday, we will have a spelling test a spell-off in spellathon style.

Study hard, because the winners get a surprise.

FRANCINE: What do you think the surprise is?

Maybe the winner does less homework.

If it means less homework, I want to win.

I'll study extra hard.

Me, too.

FRANCINE: Oh, I knew I forgot something.

There, now I can really concentrate.

A-N-T-I-D...

UH... What word are you struggling with, son?

Antidisestablishmentarianism.

I can never remember If it has five "is" or six.

Just skip down to "antidote."

( computer beeping ) COMPUTER: Dog.

MUFFY: D-O-G. Muffy, you're a genius.

( yawning ) Hey, that's it.

This ought to do it.

( Dad humming Ravel's Bolero ) ARTHUR: Dad, listen to this.

This song fits my first spelling word.

( with rap-music background ): ♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k ♪ BOTH: ♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k ♪ ARTHUR: ♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k ♪ ♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k. ♪ ♪ A-a-r-d... ♪ ♪ v-a-r-k. ♪ Don't bother me, D.W.

I'm studying.

Oh, I thought you had ants in your pants.

Go away.

All right.

What a grouch!

♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k ♪ ♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k... ♪ ( grunting ) I said don't bother... Huh?

Oh, hi, Buster.

Done studying already?

Don't have to.

I have this.

My good-luck c-h-a-r-m, charm.

Want to go to the arcade?

I should study some more.

Is one more hour really going to help?

Maybe you're right.

It doesn't feel like I'm getting better.

Pal, some people are born spellers.

You're more the go-have-fun type.

They've got the jet game that flips you upside down.

Okay.

Ready for the test, Arthur?

The test!

How long did you study?

I woke up early to study.

I know this whole book-- even the publisher's address.

Buster and I went to the arcade.

I didn't finish studying.

Okay, everyone.

Line up for the spelling bee.

That is incorrect.

You may sit down.

Jenna, please spell "essential."

ARTHUR: What am I going to do?

What am I going to do?

If I lean against the heater My temperature will go up and I can go to the nurse.

Arthur perhaps you can be the first to tackle this word: Aardvark.

♪ A-a-r-d-v-a-r-k. ♪ Thanks for the entertainment.

Francine, spell "Pleasant."

Pleasant, p-l-e-a-s-e-n-t. No, I'm sorry.

What kind of stupid word is that, "pleasant"?

Arthur and the Brain are our winners.

The surprise is... you will represent our class in the spellathon.

STUDENTS: Way to go!

( school bell ringing ) ARTHUR: Mr. Ratburn I shouldn't be in the spellathon.

You earned the honor, Arthur.

Yeah, but the thing is I don't know how to spell anything-- a-n-t-i-n-g. See?

I just knew that one word.

Did you study?

Sort of.

No, not really.

It will take some study, Arthur But I know you can do well at the spellathon.

You do?

Mr. Ratburn thinks I can do it.

I have a lot of studying to do.

I have to learn 100 words.

That's only 92 more than you know now.

D.W.... We'll all be happy to help any way we can, Arthur.

ARTHUR: E-l-e-p-h... a-n-t.

Elephant.

MOM: D.W.?

( gasps ) How about some ice cream?

Are you bribing me?

Yes.

Okay.

Hey, Arthur want to play football?

I have to study.

S-o-r-r-y.

Sour?

"Sorry"!

No, no, no, no.

My brain hurts.

All this studying isn't helping.

I'm just not a speller.

Sometimes it feels you're not getting it when you actually are.

Want a snack?

Absolutely.

A-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y.

Absolutely.

Hey, that's right!

( doorbell rings ) I got it.

Hi, D.W. Is Arthur there?

Sorry... Arthur can't come out to play.

He's exercising his brain.

I'm not a prisoner of my vocabulary.

BRAIN: Hi, Arthur.

Hey, Brain, how's the studying going?

Extraordinarily well.

I'm getting equipment for software I'm writing In my spare time.

Spare time?

( water running ) Spell "toothpaste."

Toothpaste.

T-o-o-t-h-p-a-s-t-e.

Toothpaste-- right?

How should I know?

( baby cooing ) Glooba!

Glooba.

G-l-o-o-b-a.

Glooba.

I'm nervous.

N-e-r-v-o-u-s.

Nervous.

You'll do just fine, Arthur.

You better get backstage.

We'll sit down.

Good luck.

Don't worry.

If you lose You can live in the garage.

G-a-r-a-g-e, garage.

RATBURN: Today's the big day.

How do you feel?

I feel fine.

I wish I were back in bed.

It's starting.

They're going to light the spellathon torch.

( cheering and applause ) Welcome to the all-school spellathon.

And now, our contestants.

( wild cheering and applause ) Go, Arthur!

Good luck.

Our first word goes To... the Brain.

Spell "fear."

Brain?

( giggling ) Brain.

Spell "fear."

Fear-- f-e-r-e, fear.

I'm sorry, that's incorrect.

Are you sure?

What dictionary are you using?

( gulping ) ( clock ticking ) Spell "pieces."

Pieces, p-e-i-c-e-s, pieces.

No, I'm sorry.

"I" before "E" except after "C." ( fading ): "I" before "E" except after "C." The word is "champion."

That's so easy.

I see it every day on my award from last year.

Champion.

C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N. Champion.

( wild cheering ) Arthur, spell "suggest."

Suggest, S-U-G-G-E-S-T, suggest.

That is correct.

( cheering ) You can't beat me.

Why don't you just give up?

Prunella, spell "preparation."

Prunella?

Could I have a definition, please?

Preparation, the process of getting ready.

Of course.

Preparation.

P-R-E-P-E-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Preparation.

I'm sorry, that's incorrect.

Now Arthur gets a chance.

If you spell this correctly, Arthur you are the winner.

Preparation.

( D.W. blowing raspberry ) Preparation.

P-R-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-O-N.

Preparation.

That's... correct!

( whistling, cheering, applause ) That was the most fantastic thing I've ever seen.

You're the greatest speller of all time.

You know what the best part of winning is?

It's over!

Congratulations, Arthur.

I knew you could do it!

Yeah, but now he knows he could do it.

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ ♪ You got to listen to your heart ♪