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The Magnificent Ambersons

The Magnificent Ambersons quotes

54 total quotes

Eugene
Fanny
George
Narrator
Others
Townsfolk
Uncle Jack




View Quote George: How'd all these ducks get to know you so quick? I really don't see why my mother invited them.
Lucy: Maybe she didn't want to offend their fathers and mothers.
George: I hardly think that my mother need worry about offending anybody in this old town.
Lucy: It must be wonderful, Mr. Amberson, Mr. Minafer, I mean.
George: What must be wonderful?
Lucy: To be so important as that.
George: Oh, that isn't important...Anybody that really is anybody ought to be able to go about as they like in their own town, I should think.
View Quote Fanny: The important thing is that Wilbur did get her, and not only got her, but kept her.
Eugene: There's another important thing, that is, for me. In fact, it's the only thing that makes me forgive that bass viol for getting in my way...Lucy.
View Quote Uncle Jack: Eighteen years have passed, but have they?...By gosh, old times certainly are starting all over again.
Eugene: Old times. Not a bit. There aren't any old times. When times are gone, they're not old, they're dead. There aren't any times but new times.
View Quote Lucy: What are you studying at school?
George: College.
Lucy: College.
George: Oh, lots of useless guff.
Lucy: Why don't you study some useful guff?
George: What do you mean, useful?
Lucy: Something you'd use later in your business or profession.
George: I don't intend to go into any business or profession.
Lucy: No?
George: No.
Lucy: Why not?
George: Well, just look at them. That's a fine career for a man, isn't it? Lawyers, bankers, politicians. What do they ever get out of life, I'd like to know. What do they know about real things? What do they ever get?
Lucy: What do you want to be?
George: A yachtsman!
View Quote Lucy: Do you think George is terribly arrogant and domineering?
Eugene: Oh, he's still only a boy. Plenty of fine stuff in him. Can't help but be. He's Isabel Amberson's son.
Lucy: You liked her pretty well once, I guess, Papa.
Eugene: Yep. Do still.
View Quote Isabel: [about Wilbur] It seems to me he looks so badly...He's been worried about some investments he made last year. I think the worry's affected his health.
George: What investments? He isn't going into Morgan's automobile concern, is he?
View Quote George: Look here, father, about this man Morgan and his old sewing machine. Don't they want to get grandfather to put some money into it? Isn't that what he's up to?
Fanny: You little silly! What on earth are you talking about? Eugene Morgan's perfectly able to finance his own inventions these days.
George: I'll bet he borrows money from Uncle Jack.
Isabel: Georgie. Why do you say such a thing?
George: He just strikes me as that sort of a man. Isn't he father?
Wilbur: He was a fairly wild fellow twenty years ago. He's like you in one thing, Georgie. He spent too much money. Only he didn't have any mother to get money out of her grandfather for it. But I believe he's done fairly well of late years, and I doubt if he needs anybody else's money to back his horseless carriage.
George: Oh, what's he brought the old thing here for, then?
Wilbur: I'm sure I don't know. You'll want to ask him.
View Quote Fanny: Eugene Morgan isn't in your father's thoughts at all one way or the other. Why should he be?...
Uncle Jack: Are you two at it again?
George: What makes you and everybody so excited over this man Morgan?
Uncle Jack: This man Morgan.
Fanny: Excited!
Uncle Jack: Oh, shut up.
Fanny: Can't...can't people be glad to see an old friend without silly children like you having to make a to-do about it? I've just been suggesting to your mother that she might give a little dinner for him.
George: For who?
Fanny: For whom, Georgie.
George: [mocking her] For whom, Georgie.
Fanny: For Mr. Morgan and his daughter.
George: Oh look here. Don't do that. Mother mustn't do that.
Fanny: [mocking him] Mother mustn't do that.
George: Wouldn't look well.
Fanny: Wouldn't look...See here Georgie Minafer! I suggest that you just march straight on into your room. Sometimes you say things that show you have a pretty mean little mind.
George: What upsets you this much?
Uncle Jack: Shut up!
Fanny: I know what you mean. You're trying to insinuate that I get your mother to invite Eugene Morgan here on my account...
Uncle Jack: I'm gonna move to a hotel.
Fanny: ...because he's a widower.
George: What?
Fanny: What?
George: Ha, ha, ha. [Fanny cackles back in mock laughter at him] I'm trying to insinuate that you're setting your cap for him and getting mother to help you?
Fanny: OH! [Fanny slams her door on him]
George: Is that what you mean?
View Quote Eugene: You're the same Isabel I used to know - you're a divinely ridiculous woman.
Isabel: Divinely ridiculous just counterbalance each other, don't they? Plus one and minus one equal nothing. So you mean I'm nothing in particular?
Eugene: No, that doesn't seem to be precisely what I meant.
View Quote George: Well it struck me that Mr. Morgan was looking pretty absent-minded most of the time. And he certainly is dressing better than he used to.
Uncle Jack: Oh, he isn't dressing better, he's dressing up. Fanny, you ought to be a little encouraging when a prized bachelor begins to show by his haberdashery what he wants you to think about him.
George: Well, Jack tells me the fact he's been doing quite well.
Uncle Jack: Quite well.
George: Listen Aunt Fanny. I shouldn't be a bit surprised to have him request an interview and declare that his intentions are honorable.
[Fanny cries and leaves the room]
George: It's getting so that you can't joke with her about anything anymore. With all the gambling, we found out that father's estate was all washed up and he didn't leave anything. I thought she'd feel better when he turned over his insurance to her.
Uncle Jack: I think we've been teasing her about the wrong things. Fanny hasn't got much in her life. You know George, just being an Aunt isn't really the great career it sometimes seemed to be. Really don't know of anything much Fanny has got, except her feeling about Eugene.
View Quote Eugene: Remember this. Our first machine. The original Morgan Invincible.
Isabel: I remember.
Fanny: How quaint!
Lucy: Did you ever see anything so lovely...as your mother [Isabel] - she's a darling, and Papa looks as if he were going to either explode or utter loud sounds.
Isabel: It makes us all happy Eugene. Give him your hand, Fanny. There. If brother Jack were here, Eugene would have his three oldest and best friends congratulating him all at once. We know what brother Jack thinks about it, though.
Eugene: I used to write verse about twenty years ago. Remember that?
Isabel: I remember that too.
Eugene: I'm almost thinking I could do it again. To thank you for making a factory visit into such a kind celebration.
View Quote Eugene: Isabel, dear.
Isabel: Yes, Eugene.
Eugene: Don't you think you should tell George?
Isabel: About us?
Eugene: Yes.
Isabel: There's still time.
Eugene: I think he should hear it from you.
Isabel: He will, dearest. Soon. Soon.
View Quote Lucy: I know when you make him (the horse) walk, it's so you can give all your attention to proposing to me again...
George: Lucy, if you aren't the prettiest thing in this world. When are you going to say we're really engaged?
Lucy: Not for years, so there's the answer.
George: Lucy dear, what's the matter? You look as if you're gonna cry. You always do that whenever I can get you to talk about marrying me.
Lucy: I know it.
George: Well why do you?
Lucy: One reason is because I have a feeling it's never gonna be.
George: You haven't any reason?
Lucy: It's just a feeling. I don't know. Everything's so unsettled.
George: ...What's unsettled?
Lucy: Well for one thing, George, you haven't decided on anything to do yet. Or at least if you have, you've never spoken of it.
George: Lucy, haven't you perfectly well understood that I don't intend to go into a business or adopt a profession?
Lucy: Then, what are you going to do George?
George: Why, I expect to lead an honorable life. I expect to contribute my share to charities, and take part in, well, in movements.
Lucy: What kind?
George: Whatever appeals to me. Isn't it your father's idea that I have to go into a business, and you oughtn't to be engaged to me until I do? Do you think I'd be very much of a man if I let another man dictate to me my own way of life?...I don't believe in the whole world scrubbing dishes, selling potatoes, or trying law cases. No, I dare say I don't care any more for your father's ideals than he does for mine.
View Quote Uncle Jack: Your grandson. Last night, he seemed inclined to melancholy.
Major Amberson: What about? Not getting remorseful about all the money he spent at college, is he? I wonder what he thinks I'm made of.
Uncle Jack: Gold, and he's right about that part of you, father.
Major Amberson: What part?
Uncle Jack: Heart.
Major Amberson: I suppose that may account for how heavy it feels nowadays, sometimes. This town seems to be rolling right over that old heart you mentioned just now, Jack. Rolling over us and burying us under.
View Quote Isabel: Lucy's on a visit, Father. She's spending a week with a school friend.
Eugene: She'll be back Monday.
Fanny: George, how does it happen you didn't tell us before? He never said a word to us about Lucy going away!
Major Amberson: Probably afraid to. Didn't know that he might break down and cry if we tried to speak of it, isn't that so, Georgie? [He laughs at George]
Fanny: [to George] Or didn't Lucy tell you that she was going?
George: She told me!
Major Amberson: At any rate, Georgie didn't approve. I suppose you two aren't speaking again. Ha, ha, ha, ha.