Dr. Flora Oh, yes, Princess Atta. The poor dear.
Played by Edie McClurg 
A Bug's Life (1998) · 109 quotes
A Bug's Life (1998) · 109 quotes
In 7 of the 109 quotes from A Bug's Life (1998)
Most scenes with: Flik (4), Princess Atta (4), Queen (4)
Oh, my. There's quite a gap, Mr. Soil. Shouldn't we tell the Queen?
More lines from Dr. Flora
1 quote Dr. Flora Scenes with Dr. Flora
5 scenes
Scared Ant #1
[First lines; The movie begins as the line of ants marches to the stone; one ant spots a shadow moving across the ground. He looks up and gasps. A leaf is falling from the overhead tree] [gasps]
No, no, no, Oh, no. Oh, no.
Scared Ant #1
[the leaf lands in front of one of the worker ants in the food line]
I'M LOST!! Where's the line?! It just went away! What do I do?!
Scared Ant #2
Help!
Scared Ant #3
We'll be stuck here forever!
Do not panic. Do not panic! We are trained professionals. Now, stay calm. We are going around the leaf.
Scared Ant #1
Around the leaf. I-I-I don't think we can do that.
Oh, nonsense. This is nothing compared to the twig of '93. [gestured for the line of nervous ants to come towards him] That's it. That's it. Good! You're doing great! There you go. There you go! Watch my eyes. Don't look away. And here's the line again.
Scared Ant #1
[gleeful shout]
Thank you! Thank you, Mr. Soil!
Good job, everybody!
Dr. Flora Oh, my. There's quite a gap, Mr. Soil. Shouldn't we tell the queen?
I don't think we need to involve the queen in this. She's got enough on her plate already: training her daughter.
Dr. Flora Oh, yes, Princess Atta. The poor dear.
Oh... Wind's died down. They'll be here soon.
Just be confident, dear. You'll be fine.
Ah! There's a gap. There's a gap in the line! What are we gonna do?!
It's okay, Your Highness. Gaps happen. We just lost a few inches, that's all.
Oh, right. [hovers over Thorny's shoulder]
Your Highness, I can't count when you hover like that.
Oh, of course. I'm sorry. [chuckles] Go ahead.
Guys, go shade someone else for a while. Okay, Atta. Now what do we do?
Oh! Don't tell me. I know it. I know it. What is it?
We relax!
Right.
Oh, it'll be fine. It's the same, year after year. They come, they eat, they leave. That's our lot in life. It's not a lot, but it's our life. [laughs. Atta laughs too] Isn't that right, Aphie? Oh, you're such a cute little aphid. [As she sets Aphie down, the two ant boys pop out of a hole in the ground]
Ditch Dot!
Yeah, yeah!
Hey, come back here! [tries to hover after the boys. But drops to the ground]
Dot!
Yes, Mother.
What did I tell you about trying to fly?
Not until my wings grow in.
Right.
But, Mom...
Dot, you're a young queen ant, and your wings are too little to be...
I was talking to Mother! You're not the queen yet, Atta!
Now, Dot, be nice to your sister.
It's not my fault she's so stressed out.
Atta!
Thorny and Dr. Flora
Princess Atta! Princess Atta!
Dr. Flora Hey! Stop that!
What do you think you're doing?!
Dr. Flora You could have killed somebody over here!
[Cornelius groans]
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I'm sorry! [The council members lift the stalk, freeing Atta; Flik exclaims] Princess Atta!
Flik, what are you doing?
Oh... Oh, this? This is my new idea for harvesting grain! No more picking individual kernels! You can just cut down the entire stalk!
Flik, we don't have time for this.
Exactly! We never have time to collect food for ourselves, because we spend all summer harvesting for the Offering! But my invention will speed up production.
Yeah, and I've got something for you, too. [Picks up a blade of grass and folds it into a cone]
Since you're gonna be queen soon, you could use this to oversee production. [borrows a dewdrop from Dr. Flora's flower] Dr. Flora, if I may.
Dr. Flora [gasps]
Oh!
This is all very nice, but...
What?
Just an ordinary blade of grass and a bead of dew, right?
Flik, please.
Wrong! It is, in fact... [drops the dewdrop in the middle of the blade] A telescope!
[Flik peers at Atta through the telescope]
Hello, princess! My, aren't you looking lovely this morning! Not, of course, that you would need a telescope to see that...
[swipes the telescope from Flik and throws it near Dot's feet]
All right, listen! The Princess doesn't have time for this! You wanna help us fill this thing?! Then get rid of that machine, get back in line, and pick grain, like everybody else!
Like everybody else!
Please, Flik. Just go.
I'm sorry. I was... I was really just trying... [Thorny and Cornelius gesture pointing for Flik to go] Trying to help.
"Harvester"! Why, we've harvested the same way ever since I was a pupa.
[Later, Atta banging a gavel inside a large courtroom with the Queen and the Council of Elders]
Flik, what do you have to say for yourself?
Sorry. I-I'm sorry for the way I am. I didn't mean for things to go so wrong. I...especially didn't want to make you look bad, Princess.
Well, Flik, you did.
I was just trying to help.
Then help us. Don't help us.
Help? Help? Help?
Flik, you are sentenced to one month digging in the tunnels.
Uh, excuse me, Your Highness. Need I remind you of Flik's tunnel-within-a-tunnel project?
Helpers to help us. That could... That's it! We could...
It took the whole engineering department two days to dig him out. Send him to Health and Ant Services.
Dr. Flora Heavens, no!
We could leave the island. The riverbed's dry right now. We could just walk right across the riverbed. We could go get helpers. We could! We could leave, sure. We could go find helpers to help us. It's perfect!
Perfect? What's so perfect?
Your Highness, don't you see? We could send someone to get help!
Why didn't I think of that? Oh, because it's suicide!
She's right. We never leave the island.
Never leave!
There's snakes and birds and bigger bugs out there!
Exactly! Bigger bugs! We could find bigger bugs to come here and fight and forever rid us of Hopper and his gang!
Ludicrous!
Dr. Flora Who would do a crazy thing like that?
I'll volunteer. I'd be very happy to volunteer.
Dr. Flora At least we could try. Oh, I-I could... I could travel to the city. I could search there!
If you went, you'd be on that silly search for weeks.
Royal huddle. [whispering] Great idea, princess. It's perfect.
Exactly.
Wait a minute. What did we just decide here?
To let Flik leave.
While we keep harvesting to meet Hopper's demands.
Dr. Flora You see? With Flik gone, he can't...
He can't mess anything up! [After talking with the Council] Flik, after much deliberation, we have decided... to grant you your request!
Really?
Really?
Uh, really.
Oh! Thank you, princess. Thank you so much for this chance. I-I-I won't let you down, I promise, I promise, I promise, I promise.
Yeah, yeah, that's fine, that's fine. No, forget it, forget it.
But I should probably help repair some of the damage before I go, don't you think...
Ant Council
No! No, no!
Just go. Just go.
Just leave!
You mean, you're not warriors?
Are you kiddin'? These guys are the lousiest circus bugs you've ever seen, and they're gonna make me rich!
You mean to tell me that our entire defensive strategy was concocted by clowns?!
Hey, hey, hey, hey. We really thought Flik's idea was gonna work.
[All ants gasp and angrily turn to Flik, while the fireflies put a spotlight on him] [realizes his mistake]
Oops.
No, you don't... You don't...
This couldn't have happened at a more inopportune time! The last leaf is about to fall!
Dr. Flora We haven't collected any food for the grasshoppers!
If Hopper finds out what we almost did--
[angrily]
Hopper is NOT going to find out. We're going to hide all this and pretend it never happened. [angrily points to the Circus Bugs] You bugs were never here, so I suggest you all leave.
I never thought I'd see the day when an ant would put himself before the rest of his colony.
The point is, Flik, you lied to us.
No, no, no, no! I just--
[walks to Flik, hurt with disappointment]
You lied, Flik. You lied to her. You lied to the colony! You lied to ME! And like an idiot, I believed you.
But I was just afraid that if you knew I'd gotten circus bugs. [looks at Princess Atta, still mad, sighs sadly] I just wanted to make a difference.
I want you to leave Flik, and this time, don't come back.
[Flik sadly hangs his head in sadness; Dot gasps and Aphie whimpers. Flik & the Circus Bugs then sadly leave]
Tough crowd. [Snaps the reins and the wagon rolls off] Yee-haw!
[sadly tries to run after her friend and the bugs. But the mother stops her and holds her back as Flik and the bugs leave]
Flik.
Randy Newman
Was a bug, little bug, hardly there / How he felt, what he dreamed, who could care? / Without any evidence / His flaws were many / He was full of confidence / Some people haven't any / Didn't have much common sense / It's highly overrated / He just knew that he'd come through...| It's the time of your life so live it well / It's the time of your life so live it well...| We may only go 'round one time / As far as I can tell / It's the time of your life so live it well...| We may only go 'round this one time / As far as I can tell / He could be wrong about that / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life so live it well.
Man #1
[beeps]
Speed!
Man #2
Marker.
Director
And action!
Are you saying I'm stupid?
No.
Do I look... stupid... to you?
I'm sorry! I got it. No, no. Just do it again. I'm fine.
Yes! [laughs]
This is the 15th take, I cannot work like this. I will be in my trailer.
I need a break.
Man #2
[beeps]
Marker.
Whoa, Flik, honey, we are not about to... [hammer banging] Is someone hammering? [Slim sighs] Could we hold the work, please? People?
Director
[beeps]
And action!
To infinity and beyond! [laughs] I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. Really, can y... can you blame me? Okay. Okay, let's go for real now.
Director
Okay, cut!
Sorry.
WHAT?!? [stand up and walks to Molt threateningly]
[scared]
You're right! I didn't think it was such a good idea myself. Actually, it wasn't even my idea. It was...
Cameraman
Watch it!
[crashing]
I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Is the camera broke? Oh, oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Did I ruin the take?
Me? Oh, oops, ow, ow.
Ow, ow, ow!
Uh, oh, oh no. Oh no, oh...
This really hurts, guys.
I'm sorry, I'm... Oh!
Can we cut? Ow!
Dr. Flora [beeps]
So, is there a Mrs. Ant, you have to tunnel home to? Oh, I'm sorry! I thought he was real. [laughs] Ooh, dear. Put that thing in my car.
Man #2
[beeps]
Marker.
Flik, after much deliberation... Whoa! [rattling, banging, Flik and other ants laughing]
[beeps]
Ohh, I... Ow. Oh. My eye! Oh. No, no. Seriously, I've got berry juice in my eye! [Hopper laughs] It stings! Stop acting. I'm serious. Oh, stop the camera!
[beeps; laughing; gurgling; liquid trickling]
Uh-oh. Towel! I need a towel over here! [Flik laughs]
Director
Cut!
Thumper
[beeps; roars]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. [Dot groans] Can we... Can we cut? It's just that I don't think I'm coming across. Hmm. Oh, oh, I know. I know. I could lather up a bunch of spit. Ooh, ooh, that's good. I got it, J.L. Alright! One more for me.
Man #1
[beeps]
Speed!
Man #2
Marker!
Director
Action!
Spinning a web of safety in less than 15... Bleh!
Randy Newman
It's the time of your life so live it well / It's the time of your life so live it well...| We may only go 'round one time / As far as I can tell / It's the time of your life so live it well...| Like us all, he started small / Then he grew / When the time came he knew what to do / He knew in order to succeed / They'd have to work together / He turned a rock into a seed / And they were changed forever / Then they had the strength they'd need / To get through stormy weather / Do or die, you gotta try...| It's the time of your life so live it well / It's the time of your life so live it well...| We may only go 'round one time / As far as I can tell / He could be wrong about that / It's the time of your life so live it well...| Isn't it a bit surprising / How one's fortunes ebb and flow / And only to the enterprising / Does the magic fortune cookie go / Believe me...| It's the time of your life so live it well / It's the time of your life so live it well...| We may only go 'round one time / As far as I can tell / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life / It's the time of your life so live it well... [chorus singing]
Other characters in A Bug's Life
Flik
Dave Foley
Francis
Denis Leary
Gypsy
Madeline Kahn
Hopper
Kevin Spacey
Princess Atta
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Mr. Soil
Roddy McDowall
Queen
Phyllis Diller
Dot
Hayden Panettiere
Heimlich
Joe Ranft
P.T. Flea
John Ratzenberger
Slim
David Hyde Pierce
Manny
Jonathan Harris
Molt
Richard Kind
Rosie
Bonnie Hunt
Thorny
Alex Rocco
Cornelius
David Ossman
Dim
Brad Garrett
Grub
Reed
Tuck and Roll
Michael McShane
