Ginger So laying eggs all your life and then getting plucked, stuffed and roasted is good enough for you, is it?
It's a livin'.
Played by Julia Sawalha 
Chicken Run (2000) · 55 quotes
Chicken Run (2000) · 55 quotes
2nd most-quoted character in Chicken Run (2000): in 22 of its 55 quotes
Most scenes with: Bunty (18), Babs (10), Rocky (8)
Scenes with Ginger
22 scenes Ginger 
Face it ducks; the chances of us escaping from here are a million to one.
Ginger Then there's still a chance.
Morning, Ginger. Back from holiday?
Ginger I wasn't on holiday, Babs. I was in solitary confinement.
Oh, it's nice to get a bit of time to yourself, isn't it?
Ginger Listen. We'll either die free chickens or we die trying.
Are those the only choices?
Ginger But you're supposed to be up there - you're the pilot.
Don't be ridiculous. I can't fly this contraption.
Ginger "Back in your day"? The Royal Air Force?
644 Squadron, Poultry Division - we were the mascots.
Ginger You mean you never actually flew the plane?!
Good heavens, no! I'm a chicken! The Royal Air Force doesn't let chickens behind the controls of a complex aircraft!
Ginger Oh, yes how rude of us it's just that we're very exci- This is a chicken farm.
And we're the chickens.
Ginger So that's it! You're from the circus.
Shh!
Ginger You're on the run, aren't you?
Ginger I should turn you in right now!
You wouldn't!... Would you?
Ginger Give me one reason why I shouldn't.
Because I'm... cute?
[Ginger squawks loudly] [muffles her]
What are you doing?! Do you know what will happen if that guy finds me?!
Ginger It's a cruel world.
I've just decided, I don't like you.
Ginger I've just decided, I don't care. Now show us how to fly.
With this wing?!
Ginger Teach us then!
No!
[Ginger squawks again] [muffles her again]
Now you listen here, sister. I'm not going back to that life! I'm a lone free ranger! Emphasis on FREE!
Ginger And that's what we want! Freedom!
Ginger Teach us to fly, and we'll hide you.
And if I don't?!
Time to make good on that deal, doll--
Ginger The name, is Ginger.
Ginger I thought you were going to teach us how to fly.
That's what I'm doing.
Ginger Isn't there usually some flapping involved?
Hey, do I tell you how to lay eggs? Relax, were making progress.
Ginger Really? I can't help feeling were going around in circles.
[Ginger points to the chickens, who are indeed, spinning around in circles]
Whoah, woah, cut it out! You're making me dizzy! There, I think they're ready to fly now.
Ginger Good, because they certainly can't walk anymore!
You know what your problem is? You're... difficult!
Ginger Why, because I'm honest?! I care about what happens to them! Nothing I expect a lone free ranger to know anything about!
Hey, if this is the way you show it, I hope you never care about me!
Ginger I can assure you, I never will!
Good!
Ginger Fine!
Ginger [Ginger has been put on the pie macine, and can't get free]
Oh great! Brilliant!
Yo! baby doll!
Ginger Rocky!
I'm coming! [He begins slipping on the metal] I'm still coming!
Ginger Come on! Stop this thing!
I'm getting there!
Ginger ROCKY!
Don't worry! I'll be down there before you can say...
[Mr. Willard Tweedy walks with the dogs by a flashlight, then shakes a lock, then continues walking with the dogs. A hen named Ginger has just dug a hole with a spoon to get under the fence. She signals Bunty, Babs, and three other chickens to come over to the fence. But they make a loud noise once they come to the fence] [loud whispering]
Shush!
[whimpers]
[Bunty tries to get under the fence. But she is too big. Willard Tweedy hears this and turns around.]
I'm stuck!
[Ginger rolls her eyes and goes to help Bunty get under the fence. But Edwina, Babs and the other chickens are making too much noise trying to push Bunty under. Once Ginger arrives to the rescue, she puts her wing over Bunty's beak so that Willard Tweedy doesn't hear her. Unfortunately, the noise of Edwina, Babs, and the other chickens trying to push her under the fence attracts the attention of the dogs. Ginger hears the dogs and sees Willard Tweedy trying to hold them back]
Ginger Get back!
[They all pull her out of the fence, with Ginger pushing, and then lie down. Ginger runs away from the dog, followed by Mr. Tweedy. The dog continues running at Ginger, then another dog runs at her, chasing her by the door. The dogs walk up the stairs and then touch a gnome. The dogs walk up. Ginger she grabs a garden gnome to fend them off. The dog bites the gnome's head off. Then suddenly the doors open. The dogs cower. Ginger spins around to find Melisha Tweedy, Mr. Tweedy's wife, her face icy and expressionless]
Eh?
What is that chicken doing outside the fence?
Just deal with it. Now!
[Melisha slams the door. She goes back to bed. Willard cowers and carries Ginger to an old coal bin near the side of the barn] [to Ginger]
I'll teach you to make a fool out of me. [He throws Ginger inside, then closes the top and turns to the other chickens] Now let that be a lesson to the lot of you! NO CHICKEN ESCAPES (clenches his right fist) FROM (with point) TWEEDY'S FARM! [He walks away & ready for bed]
Ginger [Edwina has been sentenced to the chop after she fails to produce any more.]
Oh no. Edwina. Bunty, why didn't you give her some of yours?
I would have. She didn't tell me. She didn't tell anyone.
[Bunty, Babs and another hen sneak towards Hut 17 with knitted masks over them. Bunty bangs the door, and Ginger lets them in when she sees who it is, except for Babs, who stands there. Ginger then pulls Babs in by her wing]
Ohh!
Fetcher.
At your service.
Ginger [Ginger comes out the door. Suddenly, she hears dogs barking and sees Mr Tweedy looking out the farmhouse window]
Over here!
Ginger [She leads Nick and Fetcher to a corner.]
We need some more things.
Right you are, Miss! [opens a lunchbox and holds up a couple of thimbles] How about this quality, hand-crafted tea set?
Ginger Um, no...
Ginger Well, it's lovely...
[holds up a badminton birdie]
Or how about this little number that's all the rage in the most fashionable coops in Paris. Simply pop it on like so... [pops it on Ginger's head, feathers side up so that she looks like an Indian] And as the French hens say, "Voilà!"
That IS French.
And that's two hats in one, Miss. For parties... [turns the birdie over, making it look like a wedding veil] ...For weddings! Uh, madame! This makes you look like a vision, like a dream.
Like a duck!
Ginger [Nick glares at him]
No, thank you. [takes off the birdie and shows a diagram of a catapult] We're making this. We need these things. Can you get them?
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ooh, this is a big job, Miss. Uh, bigger than the other ones. No, no, this is gonna cost.
Ginger Same as always: one bag of seed. [hands Nick a bag of chicken feed]
You call this pay?!
It's chicken feed!
Ginger What else could we give you?
Eggs.
Ginger Eggs?!
Eggs. [holds up an egg cup and licks his lips]
Ginger We can't give you our eggs. They're too valuable.
And so are we. [packs up to leave] After you, Fetcher.
Move!
[Mr. Tweedy squints out the window and puts a pair of binoculars to his eyes. Continues to stare as he absently chews on a chicken drumstick. Past a half-eaten chicken carcass (most likely the remains of Edwina) on the dinner table to Mrs. Tweedy, seated at her corner desk, feverishly entering numbers on her hand-cranked adding machine.] [muttering under her breath]
Fourteen shillings and threepence..seven and sixpence...two and nine...fourpence ha‘penny... DOH! [crumpling her paper] Stupid, worthless creatures. I'm sick and tired of making miniscule profits.
[She glances down at the pile of mail on her desk. Beneath the pile, we see the top of a magazine. Mrs. Tweedy slowly slides the pile of mail away to reveal the rest of the magazine. Mrs. Tweedys eyes glimmer as she eyes the magazine and slowly lifts it to her face.]
Oh, yes. Those chickens are up to something.
Quiet. I’m onto something.
They're organized. I know it.
I said quiet.
Ah!
I may finally have found a way to make us some real money around here, and what are you on about? Ridiculous notions of escaping chickens.
B-b-but...
It’s all in your head, Mr. Tweedy. Say it!
It’s all in me head, it’s all in me head...
Now, you keep telling yourself that because I don’t want to hear another word about it. Is that clear?
Yes, luv. [on second thought] But you know that ginger one.
THEY'RE CHICKENS, YOU DOLT! Apart from you, they're the most stupid creatures on this planet! They don't plot, they don't scheme, and they are not ORGANIZED!!
Ginger [cut to Ginger, slamming the gavel three times] [on microphone]
Order! Order! Quiet, everyone! Settle down! I would like to order... Please, if you could just settle--
Quiet here! [banging on the table] Let's have some discipline in the ranks! What, what!
Ginger Thank you, Fowler.
In my R.A.F days, we were never allowed to waste time on unnecessary chitchat.
Ginger Yes, thank you, Fowler.
I... [pause] Right! [chuckling, clears throat, and saluting] Carry on.
Ginger Now, our last escape attempt was a bit of a fiasco. But Mac and I have come up with a brand new plan. Show ‘em, Mac.
Right. We’ve tried going under the wire and that didnae work. So, the plan is -- we go over it. This is us, right? [putting a turnip in the catapult] We get in like this- wind ‘er up and let ‘er go!
[The turnip flies past Fowler and splats against the wall above his head. The chickens gasp and murmur.]
Good grief! The turnip's bought it!
Ginger Think everyone, think. What haven't we tried yet?
Uh...
We haven't tried NOT trying to escape.
Ginger What about Edwina? How many more empty nests will it take?
Well, perhaps it wouldn't be empty if she'd spent more time laying and less time escaping!
Ginger So laying eggs all your life and then getting plucked, stuffed and roasted is good enough for you; it is guilty?
It's a living.
Ginger Do you know what the problem is? The fences aren't just around the farm; they're up here [Points to head]. There is a better place out there, beyond on the hill, outdoors, trees and grass. You imagine it. Cool grass green.
Chicken
And who feeds us?
Ginger We feed ourselves.
Chicken
Where is the farm?
Ginger There is no farm.
Then where does the farmer live?
Ginger There is no farmer, Babs.
Is he on holiday?
Ginger He isn't anywhere! Don't you get it? There's no morning head count, no farmers, no dogs, no coops and locks and keys, and no fences!
In all my life, I've never heard such a fantastic... LOAD OF TRIPE. [The chickens start murmuring] Let's face the facts, ducks. The chances of US getting out of HERE are 1,000,000 (Million) to 1.
Ginger Then there's still a chance.
Ginger [Ginger makes a speech to the hens with Rocky behind her]
I knew it was possible.
Oh, it's possible, alright.
Ginger I knew the answer would come.
Amen!
Ginger We're all going to FLY over that fence, and Mr Rhodes is going to show us how, right?
That's r... W-w-what, did you say "fly"?
Ginger You can teach us.
No, I can't. [The other hens sigh in despair] Listen. Shh! You hear that? [silence] That's the open road calling my name, and I was born to answer that call. Bye! [dashes out the coop]
...He must have very good hearing.
[The chickens are finding out on a poster that Rocky can't fly.]
Oh, a cannon. Aye, that would give you thrust.
I knew he was fake all along. In fact, I'm not even certain he was American.
So, what's the next plan, hen?
Ginger [sighs]
Let's face it. The only way out of here is wrapped in pastry.
Perhaps he just went on holiday.
Perhaps he just wanted to get away from your infernal knitting! [angrily snatches Babs' knitting and stamps it in the mud]
You were always the one that was always hitting him. See how you like it! [pushes Bunty]
Bunty Don't push me, four eyes!
[They start fighting, but Fowler enters.]
Quiet there! Quiet, I say! Dissension in the ranks. Precisely what Jerry would have wanted. The old divide and conquer. A proper squadron works together, like we did in my R.A.F. days. Jocko at the stick, Flappy at the map, and old Whizzbang at the tail-end Charlie. WingCo would give the call, hop in the old crate, chocks away! Wizard show it was. [shows Bunty his air-force medal] That's how you get medals.
[Bunty furiously slaps the air-force medal out of Fowler's hand and it lands in front of Ginger in the mud, the chickens gasp at it.]
HOW DARE YOU! [angrily hits Bunty with his cane, but then quickly retracts his actions, realising what he's done] Madam, forgive me. A-As an officer, I offer my most-
Ginger [Bunty punches Fowler, and all the chickens start fighting in the mud. Ginger sees the Air Force medal and picks it up.]
Fowler. [turns to the chickens fighting in the mud] Everyone! SHUT UP!
Ginger [All the chickens stop fighting, with Babs holding on the leg by the mouth, long pause] [clears throat]
Fowler, what exactly is the R.A.F.?
[pulls his face out of the mud]
What do you mean, what is it? [salutes] The Royal Air Force is what! [chuckles]
Ginger Then what's the "old crate"?
[Mr. Tweedy, sweating bullets, is once again trying to start the machine.] [under his breath]
C'mon. [groans] Please.
Ginger Oh no. He‘s fixed it.
[Mr. Tweedy steps away from it, admiring his handiwork as the machine is now fully functioning.] [enters]
Get the chickens.
Which ones?
All of them. [switches to max level on the pie machine]
[The chickens' plane-building has just been discovered by Mr. Tweedy.]
Me tools! Why, you thieving little buggers!
Ginger [Mr. Tweedy stares down Ginger for a few seconds.]
ATTACK!! [Cut to close up Mr. Tweedy]
[the chickens looks as they drop their tools. Cut to all of them swarming Mr. Tweedy.] [being attacked by the chickens]
MRS. TWEEDY! AHH! MRS. TWEEDY, THE CHICKENS ARE REVOLTING!
Ginger Under the hut! [The chickens shove him underneath a hut.]
Ginger Alright, Fowler! Ready for take-off!
Behind you all the way!
Ginger But... you're supposed to be up there! [points to the cockpit] You're the pilot!
Don't be ridiculous. I can't fly this contraption.
Ginger But... but back in your day. The Royal Air Force.
644 Squadron, Poultry Division! We were the mascots.
Ginger You mean you never actually FLEW the plane!?
Good heavens, no! I'm a CHICKEN! The Royal Air Force doesn't let chickens behind the controls of complex aircraft!
Hen
[The chickens hear this and start chattering in a panic.]
We're all gonna die!
Ginger You have to fly it. You're always talking about back in your day. Well, today is your day!
You can do it, you old sausage.
[Fowler pulls himself together, stands and salutes.]
Wing Commander T.I. Fowler reporting for duty. [The hens cheer; Fowler impatiently talks over them, heading for the cockpit.] Come on, what are you waiting for? Let's get this crate off the ground!
Ginger Fowler, NOW!
[manipulating levers]
Roger! Contact! [Chickens start peddling and the propeller starts spinning, saluting] Cleared for take off! [Three chickens hoist a ramp into place just in front of the fence, then scamper back toward the plane, calling down] Chocks away!
Chickens
Chocks away!
Full throttle! [pulls a lever]
[The wheels bounce along the rocky runway, lifting slightly, then touching back down. On the flying machine.]
We need more power!
I cannae work miracles, Cap'n! We're giving her all she's got!
[The plane continues, wheels bouncing, getting closer and closer to the ramp, picking up speed, when all of a sudden. Willard Tweedy kicks the ramp down.]
Gotcha!
Hard right!
[The plane banks a hard right.]
Oh, mother! [But the tail knocks him in the head and knocks him to the ground. It’s now heading down the opposite direction on the runway.]
Ginger Turn it around. I'll get the ramp!
[Ginger leaps off the plane, runs down the runway to the ramp. She struggles and strains to lift it.] [coldly]
Put the ramp down. [ She swings her axe and it wedged into the ramp] You are going to be a pie! [hears a sound of a trike bell ringing] Huh?
Ginger [hears it too]
Huh?
Ginger [Ginger slaps Rocky]
THAT'S for leaving. [pulls him close] And THIS is for coming back.
[Loud nose occurs, the crate is pulled down slightly and the chickens scream]
Great Scott! What was that?!
A cling-on cap'n! And the engines can't take it!
Ginger [Melisha Tweedy snarls Rocky and Ginger gasps]
Oh my goodness. Babs! Scissors!
[rumages through her handbag, throwing out a knit, a toothbrush, a lipstick, before finding the scissors]
Bingo!
Ginger Lower me down.
But... Ginger...
Ginger Just do it.
Increase velocity!
What does that mean?
It means PEDAL YOUR FLIPPIN' GIBLETS OUT!!
Ginger [Melisha Tweedy she climbs the lights]
LOWER!
I'm trying!
Ginger [Melisha Tweedy she continue climbs the lights] [billboard]
FOWLER! LOOK OUT!
GINGER! [She raising her axe. But then Rocky starts firing eggs at Melisha Tweedy]
FIRE! FIRE!
Oh, me eggs. [Ginger loses Babs' scissors]
MORE AMMO, HURRY!
WE'VE GOT NO MORE EGGS!
GINGER! LOOK OUT!
[Snarling. Melisha Tweedy breaks the wire with her axe, and seemingly beheads Ginger]
NOOOOO!!! [after a moment of silence, she ducks and cover Ginger looks up at Melisha Tweedy, completely unharmed]
[Groans. Ginger reveals the severed Christmas lights in front of Melisha Tweedy]
HUH?!
Ginger Bye-bye! [Melisha Tweedy screams after her side of the wire is lets go]
BOMBS AWAY!
Oh, that was good, that was GOOD!
The Old Bird bought it! [laughing]
Mrs. Tweedy!, Mrs. Tweed-- [He then sees Melisha Tweedy shrieking and flailing in the blocked-up safety valve; inside, Melisha Tweedy sees the boiling gravy rising. As the machine begins malfunctioning, Willard Tweedy slowly backs away while closing the door, and the pie machine explodes in the distance, creating a mushroom cloud of gravy]
Rocky and Ginger
WHOA!
[Gravy leaks down the door, Willard Tweedy then opens the door to see Melissa Tweedy injured while the two guard dogs are happily licking up the spilt gravy] [his last words]
I told you they were organized. [Melisha Tweedy soon begins growling, and before she's about to reprimand him, she lets out a yelp as the now unsupported door falls flat on her.]
Ginger [The chickens celebrate]
We did it, everyone.
[The chickens continue to celebrate, Mac gives Fowler a big kiss on the cheek, Bunty hugs Babs, Nick tearfully hugs Fetcher, and Ginger grabs Rocky and finally gives him that big kiss. The pedalling chickens stop pedalling.]
KEEP PEDDLING! We’re not there yet! [The plane rises again and sails off toward the sunset] You can’t see paradise if you don’t pedal! Put your drumsticks into it. [hand-flying the plane through the air] That's what I told them, what what. We were losing altitude, you see, and heading for a fearful prang.
Safety is at all times imperative. Now, wind her up and let her go.
Ginger [Melisha Tweedy grabs the wire and both Rocky and Ginger walk slowly up to the rear]
Oh No. SHE'S GRABBED ON!