Once I stood where we're standing now to say goodbye to a pretty girl. Only it was in the old station before this was built. We called it the depot. We knew we wouldn't see each other again for almost a year. I thought I couldn't live through it. She stood there crying - don't even know where she lives now. Or if she is living. If she ever thinks of me she probably imagines I'm still dancing in the ballroom of the Amberson mansion. She probably thinks of the mansion as still beautiful. Still the finest house in town. Ah, life and money both behave like loose quicksilver in a nest of cracks. When they're gone, you can't tell where, or what the devil you did with them...I've always been fond of you, Georgie. I can't say I've always liked ya. But we all spoiled you terribly when you were a boy....There have been times when I thought you ought to be hanged. And just for a last word, there may be somebody else in this town (Lucy) who's always felt about you like that. Fond of you, I mean, no matter how much it seems you ought to be hanged.
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) · 59 quotes
Tied for 4th most-quoted character in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942): in 11 of its 59 quotes
Most scenes with: George (4), Eugene (3), Isabel (2)
Wilbur? Wilbur Minafer? I never thought he'd get her. Well, what do ya know? Well, Wilbur may not be any Apollo, as it were, but he's a steady young business man.
More lines from Uncle Jack
2 quotesNobody has a good name in a bad mouth! Nobody has a good name in a silly mouth, either.
Scenes with Uncle Jack
8 scenesEighteen years have passed, but have they?...By gosh, old times certainly are starting all over again.
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.
Eugene Morgan isn't in your father's thoughts at all one way or the other. Why should he be?...
Are you two at it again?
What makes you and everybody so excited over this man Morgan?
This man Morgan.
Excited!
Oh, shut up.
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.
For who?
For whom, Georgie.
For Mr. Morgan and his daughter.
Oh look here. Don't do that. Mother mustn't do that.
Wouldn't look well.
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.
What upsets you this much?
Shut up!
I know what you mean. You're trying to insinuate that I get your mother to invite Eugene Morgan here on my account...
I'm gonna move to a hotel.
...because he's a widower.
What?
What?
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?
OH! [Fanny slams her door on him]
Is that what you mean?
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.
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.
Well, Jack tells me the fact he's been doing quite well.
Quite well.
Listen Aunt Fanny. I shouldn't be a bit surprised to have him request an interview and declare that his intentions are honorable.
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.
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.
Your grandson. Last night, he seemed inclined to melancholy.
What about? Not getting remorseful about all the money he spent at college, is he? I wonder what he thinks I'm made of.
Gold, and he's right about that part of you, father.
What part?
Heart.
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.
Automobiles will carry our streets clear out to the county line.
Oh, I hope you're wrong. Because if people go to moving that far, real estate values here in the old residence part of town will be stretched pretty thin.
So your devilish machines are gonna ruin all your old friends, eh Gene? Do you really think they're gonna change the face of the land?
They're already doing it, Major. It can't be stopped. Automobiles...
Automobiles are a useless nuisance.
What did you say George?
I said, 'Automobiles are a useless nuisance.' Never amount to anything but a nuisance. They had no business to be invented.
Of course you forget Mr. Morgan makes them. Also did his share in inventing them. If you weren't so thoughtless, he might think you're rather offensive.
I'm not sure George is wrong about automobiles. With all their speed forward, they may be a step backward in civilization. It may be that they won't add to the beauty of the world or the life of men's souls. I'm not sure. But automobiles have come. And almost all outward things are going to be different because of what they bring. They're going to alter war and they're going to alter peace. And I think men's minds are going to be changed in subtle ways because of automobiles. And it may be that George is right. It may be that in ten or twenty years from now, if we can see the inward change in men by that time, I shouldn't be able to defend the gasoline engine but would have to agree with George: that automobiles had no business to be invented.
Georgie dear, what did you mean?
Just what I said.
He was hurt.
I don't see why he should be. I didn't say anything about him. He didn't seem to me to be hurt. He seemed perfectly cheerful. What makes you think he was hurt?
I know him.
Well, it's a new style of courting a pretty girl, I must say, for a young fellow to go deliberately out of his way to try to make an enemy of her father by attacking his business. By jove, that's a new way of winning a woman.
I told her I thought she ought to make Georgie let her come home, but she doesn't urge it. George seems to like the life there in his grand, gloomy and peculiar way.
And you say he won't let her come home.
I don't think he uses force. He's very gentle with her. I doubt that the subject is mentioned between them yet - knowing my interesting nephew as you do, wouldn't you think 'that' was about the way to put it?
Knowing him as I do, yes.
It's changed. It's so changed.
You mean, you mean the town? You mean the old place has changed, don't you dear?
Yes.
It will change to a happier place, old dear, now that you're back. You're going to get well here.