The Remains of the Day Movie Quotes
Lewis
You are, all of you, amateurs. And international affairs should never be run by gentlemen amateurs. Do you have any idea of what sort of place the world is becoming all around you? The days when you could just act out of your noble instincts, are over. Europe has become the arena of realpolitik, the politics of reality. If you like: real politics. What you need is not gentlemen politicians, but real ones. You need professionals to run your affairs, or you're headed for disaster!
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Stevens
You know what I am doing, Miss Kenton? I am placing my thoughts elsewhere while you chatter away.
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Miss Kenton
Why? Why, Mr. Stevens, why do you always have to hide what you feel?
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Stevens
In my philosophy, Mr. Benn, a man cannot call himself well-contented until he has done all he can to be of service to his employer. Of course, this assumes that one's employer is a superior person, not only in rank, or wealth, but in moral stature.
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Stevens
This is my private time. You're invading it.
Miss Kenton
Oh, is that so?
Stevens
Yes.
Miss Kenton
I'm invading your private time, am I?
Stevens
Yes.
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Father
There was this English butler out in India. One day, he goes in the dining room and what does he see under the table ? A tiger. Not turning a hair, he goes straight to the drawing room. "Hum, hum. Excuse me, my lord," and whispering, so as not to upset the ladies : "I'm very sorry my lord. There appears to be a tiger in the dining room. Perhaps his Lordship will permit use of the twelve bores ?" They go on drinking their tea. And then, there's three gunshots. Well, they don't think nothing of it, this being out in India where they're used to anything. When the butler is back to refresh the teapots, he says, cool as a cucumber : "Dinner will be served at the usual time, my lord. And I am pleased to say there will be no discernible traces left of the recent occurence by that time." There will be no discernible traces of the recent occurrence by that time!
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Stevens
I was too busy serving to listen to the speeches.
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Miss Kenton
Look at it! Is that or is it not the wrong Chinaman?
Stevens
Miss Kenton, I'm very busy. I am surprised that you have nothing better to do than stand around all day...
Miss Kenton
Mr. Stevens, look at that Chinaman and tell me the truth!
Stevens
Miss Kenton, I would ask you to keep your voice down. What would the other servants think to hear us shouting at the top of our voices about... Chinamen?
Miss Kenton
And I would ask you, Mr. Stevens, to turn around and look at the Chinaman.
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Stevens
I'm sorry sir, but I am unable to be of assistance in this matter.
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James Stevens
If two members of staff have to fall in love and decide to get married, there's nothing one can say. But what I do find a major irritation are those persons who are simply going from post to post looking for romance.
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[after telling Stevens she intends to accept Benn's marriage proposal]
Miss Kenton
Mister Stevens! Am I to take it that after all the years I have been in this house you have nothing else to say to me?
Stevens
You have my warmest congratulations.
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[teasing]
Miss Kenton
Might it be that our Mr Stevens fears distraction? Can it be that our Mr Stevens is flesh and blood after all and doesn't trust himself?
Stevens
[with the faintest trace of a smile]
You know what I'm doing, Miss Kenton? I'm placing my thoughts elsewhere as you chatter away.
Miss Kenton
...then why is that guilty smile still on your face?
Stevens
Oh it's not a guilty smile. I'm simply amused by the sheer nonsense you sometimes talk.
Miss Kenton
It *is* a guilty smile. You can hardly bear to look at her. That's why you didn't want to take her on, she's too pretty.
Stevens
Well, you must be right Miss Kenton, you always are.
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Miss Kenton
People always cheer when they turn the lights on in the evening. Every time.
Stevens
I wonder why?
Miss Kenton
They do say, that for a great many people the evening's the best part of the day. The part they most look forward to.
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Reginald Cardinal
You remember that American, Stevens, calling Lord Darlington an Amateur? Well he was right, Stevens. He was damn right.
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Miss Kenton
I am a coward. I'm frightened of leaving and that's the truth. All I see out in the world is loneliness and it frightens me. That's all my high principals are worth, Mr. Stevens. I'm ashamed of myself.
Stevens
Miss Kenton, you mean a great deal to this house. You're extremely important to this house. Miss Kenton.
Miss Kenton
Am I?
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Doctor Richard Carlisle
If a mistake was to be made, wouldn't you rather have made your own?
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[last lines]
Stevens
Well done.
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Stevens
I regard this room as my private place of work and I - I prefer to keep distractions to a minimum.
Miss Kenton
Would you call flowers a distraction, then, Mr. Stevens?
Stevens
I appreciate your kindness, Miss Kenton, but I prefer to keep things as they are.
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Charlie, Head Footman
Have you told her yet?
[Lizzie shakes her head no]
Charlie, Head Footman
Well, you better get on with it, haven't you.
Lizzie
Charlie, what can I say to her? She'd never understand about us.
Charlie, Head Footman
Why wouldn't she?
Lizzie
Well, she's old. She must be at least 30.
Charlie, Head Footman
Well, perhaps she doesn't feel all that old.
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Lord Darlington
We have some refugee girls on the staff at the moment, I believe.
Stevens
We do, my Lord. Two housemaids. Elsa and Irma.
Lord Darlington
You'll have to let them go, I'm afraid.
Stevens
Let them go, my Lord?
Lord Darlington
It's regrettable, Stevens, but we have no choice. You've got to see the whole thing in context. I have the well-being of my guests to consider.
Stevens
My Lord, may I say, they work extremely well. They're intelligent, polite, and very clean.
Lord Darlington
I'm sorry, Stevens, but I've looked into the matter very carefully. There are larger issues at stake. I'm sorry, but there it is. They're Jews.
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Sir Geoffrey Wren
So, gentlemen, you speak of Jews and Gypsies, Negroes, and so on so forth. But one has to regard the racial laws of the Fascists as a sanitary measure much overdue, in my opinion.
Wren's Friend
But imagine trying to enforce such a rule in this country.
Sir Geoffrey Wren
My Lord, my Lord, you cannot run a country without a penal system. Here we call them prisons. Over there they call them concentration camps. What's the difference? Ah, Stevens, is there any meat of any kind in this soup?
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Stevens
Do you know what I'm doing, Miss Kenton? I'm putting my thoughts elsewhere while you chatter on.
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Miss Kenton
There are times when I think what a terrible mistake I've made with my life.
Stevens
Yes. I'm sure we all have these thoughts, from time to time.
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Stevens
Each one of you has his own particular duty - or her duty. Polished brass, brilliant silver, mahogany shining like a mirror. That is the welcome we will show these foreign visitors - and let them know that they're in England where order and tradition still prevail.
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Miss Kenton
You're saying that Elsa and Irma are being dismissed because they're Jewish?
Stevens
His Lordship has made his decision. There is nothing for you and I to discuss.
Miss Kenton
You realize if those girls have no work, they could be sent back to Germany.
Stevens
It is out of our hands.
Miss Kenton
I'm telling you, Mr. Stevens, if you dismiss my girls tomorrow, it will be *wrong*. A sin! As any sin ever was one.
Stevens
Miss Kenton, there are many things you and I don't understand in this world of today; whereas, his Lordship, understands fully and has studied the larger issues at stake concerning, say, the nature of the Jewry.
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Lord Darlington
Stevens, I realize this is a somewhat irregular thing to ask you to do.
Stevens
I should very glad to be of any assistance, my Lord.
Lord Darlington
Sorry to bring up a thing like this; but, I just can't see how on earth to make it go away. You are familiar, I take it, with the facts of life?
Stevens
My Lord?
Lord Darlington
The facts of life, Stevens. Birds. Bees. You are familiar, aren't you?
Stevens
I'm afraid I don't quite follow you, sir.
Lord Darlington
Well, let me put my cards on the table, Stevens. I'm so frightfully busy with this conference. Of course, you're very busy too! But, someone has to tell him. In a way, it would be easier for you. Less awkward. I - I find the task rather daunting, I'm afraid. In might not get around to it before Reginalds wedding day. Of course, this goes far beyond the call of duty, Stevens.
Stevens
I - I shall do my best, my Lord.
Lord Darlington
I'd be grateful if you even tried, Stevens. It'd be an awful lot off my mind. Look here, there's no need to make a song and dance of it. Just convey the basic facts and be done with it.
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Miss Kenton
Are you shy about your book?
Stevens
No.
Miss Kenton
What is it? Is it racy?
Stevens
Racy?
Miss Kenton
Are you reading a racy book?
Stevens
Do you think racy books are to be found on his Lordship's shelves?
Miss Kenton
How do I know?
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Benn
I'm glad to be out of it, I can tell you. There was something about Sir Geoffery and his blackshirts. They gave me the creeps.
Miss Kenton
Mr. Stevens always says its up to us to run the house and leave the rest where it belongs. You don't agree, Mr. Benn?
Benn
No.
Miss Kenton
Neither do I, really.
Benn
Well, if I don't like something, I want to be in the position to say, "stuff it." If you will pardon the expression, Miss Kenton. But, I suppose I'm not a real professional, like Mr. Stevens.
Miss Kenton
It's Mr. Stevens whole life.
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Miss Kenton
I don't know what my future is. Ever since Katherine, my daughter, got married last year, my life has been empty. The years stretch before me and if only I knew how to fill them. But, I would like to be useful again.
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Reginald Cardinal
I just don't see how we can associate ourselves now with the Germans. You know, with the Nazi party, they have actually torn up and trampled on every single treaty and seem to be a worst threat than ever to the whole of Europe. Not to mention their brutal dictatorship at home.
Lord Darlington
My dear boy, when I was in Berlin, I saw, at last, a happy German people, with jobs, with bread, pride in their country, and love of their leader.
Reginald Cardinal
And, eh, what about the Jews?
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Miss Kenton
I so often think of the good old days when I was the housekeeper at Darlington Hall. It was certainly hard work and I've certainly known butlers easier to please than our Mr. Stevens; but, I remember those years as among the happiest of my life.
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Stevens
Quite recently, you were kind enough to suggest that I go on a little holiday. That I take a trip around the country.
Lewis
Absolutely. Certainly. Take a break. See the world. When did you last see the world, Stevens, tell me?
Stevens
Well, in the past, the world always used to come to this house, in a manner of speaking, if I may say so, sir.
Lewis
You may say so.
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Lewis
Burned again?
Stevens
Yes, I'm sorry sir. The rule of the kitchen here has always been that the cook cooks the cook's breakfast while her assistant toast's the toast.
Lewis
Well, why don't we just get her a popup toaster?
Stevens
Mr Lewis, we need not a new gadget, but, a revised staff plan, sir.
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Stevens
A great butler must be possessed of dignity...
Father
In keeping with his position.
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Miss Kenton
My mistake, no doubt. One of many.
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Stevens
I'd be lost without her - - A first rate housekeeper is essential in a house like this where great affairs are decided, between these walls.
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Stevens
To listen to the gentlemen's conversations, would distract me from my work.
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Stevens
Miss Kenton. I really must ask you, please, not to disturb the few moments I have to myself.
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Miss Kenton
What's in that book? Come on, let me see. Or, are you protecting me? Is that what you're doing? Would I be shocked? Would it ruin my character. Let me see it.
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Miss Kenton
[Miss Kenton has just pried Mr. Stevens' book from his hands.]
Well. Oh, dear. It's not scandalous at all. It's just a sentimental old love story.
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Miss Kenton
Do you think it might be a fantasy? A fantasy on my part? Do to my inexperience?
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