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"This Only Happens in the Movies" is a song written by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater and one of five songs intended for the unproduced prequel to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Who Discovered Roger Rabbit. In 2008, it found life when it was recorded by Broadway actress Kerry Butler for her debut album Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust, a collection of covers of her favorite Disney songs.

Plot[]

It was originally going to be sung early in the film, in a scene where Roger Rabbit and his friend arrive in Hollywood and are hired as waiters for a grand party to celebrate the town's biggest producer's new movie musical. The producer asks the stars of the film, a duo that pays homage to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, to perform his favorite number, This Only Happens in the Movies. The actor is a drunk who cannot perform, but Roger's friend accepts the offer, having had a longtime crush on the actress, by stepping forward and says that he has memorized the entire routine after seeing one of the team's previous films multiple times. The actress is not too sure about this, but the crowd insists that she does it, so the two perform the number.

Roger's friend turns out to be even better than the actor himself. By the end of the song, they fall in love with each other "at first sight" in a way that can "only happen in the movies". They gaze into each other's eyes and the crowd holds its breath, but Roger ruins the moment by causing mayhem.

Lyrics[]

This only happens in the movies
Life's not this perfect off the screen
Stars never gleam so bright
Nights never seem so right
Except in the movies that I've seen

Fate doesn't work like in the movies
Love never enters right on cue
Strangers don't meet like this
And get swept off their feet like this
The way movies always say they do

Somehow this moon is too enchanting
Somehow this moment's too ideal
Somehow this moonlight we're enthralled to
Is all too unreal

For this only happens in the movies
So this can only be pretend
But if this is my chance
The prelude to a new romance
Let's hope that it has a happy end

A Hollywood platinum stardust happy end


v - e - d
Who Framed Roger Rabbit Logo
Media
Films and Television: Who Framed Roger Rabbit (video/soundtrack) • Mickey's 60th BirthdayTummy TroubleRoller Coaster RabbitTrail Mix-Up

Video Games: 1988 video gameNES gameGame Boy game
Cancelled projects: Roger Rabbit II: The Toon PlatoonHare In My Soup

Disney Parks
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin

Entertainment: Once Upon a Mouse
Parades: Disney's FantillusionDisney's Party ExpressDisney Carnivale ParadeDisney on Parade: 100 Years of MagicDisney Classics ParadeSpectromagicTokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: DreamLights
Fireworks: Remember... Dreams Come True
Christmas: A Christmas Fantasy Parade
Cancelled projects: Roger Rabbit's Hollywood

Characters
Film: Roger RabbitJessica RabbitEddie ValiantDoloresBaby HermanBenny the CabJudge DoomToon PatrolR.K. MaroonMarvin AcmeLt. SantinoAngeloBaby Herman's MotherBongo the GorillaToon BulletsLena Hyena

Comics: SunshineNightwingC.B. MaroonRick Flint
Deleted: Captain CleaverVoltaire
Other: Lenny the CabList of cameos in Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Songs
Film: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2Why Don't You Do Right?The Merry-Go-Round Broke DownSmile Darn Ya SmileWitchcraft

Deleted: This Only Happens in the Movies

Locations
ToontownCloverleaf IndustriesMaroon CartoonsLos AngelesValiant & ValiantAcme CorporationThe Ink and Paint ClubHollywood
Objects
DipDip MachineMarvin Acme's WillToon RevolverPacific Electric Railway
See also
Bonkers
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