A character in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)

Guinevere Pettigrew quotes from Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008)

Frances McDormand

Most-quoted character in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (2008): in 15 of its 20 quotes
Most scenes with: Joe (6), Delysia Lafosse (4)

A line from Guinevere Pettigrew

Your heart knows the truth, Delysia. Trust it, for life is short.

More lines from Guinevere Pettigrew

3 quotes
Guinevere Pettigrew

You people, with your green drinks and your parties and your subterfuges! You're all playing at love. One minute her, the next minute someone else, flit, flit, flit! We'll, I'm not playing. Love is not a game.

Guinevere Pettigrew

Not everything comes along just when we want it. There are times when decisions just have to be made, or you certainly will miss out.

Guinevere Pettigrew

I have no one. I am not an expert on love, I am an expert on the lack of love, Delysia, and that is a fate from which I wish more fervently to save you.

Scenes with Guinevere Pettigrew

11 scenes
Guinevere

I'm afraid I walked in on your guest in his state of nature. I fear that I have outraged his sense of propriety.

Oh no, Phil doesn't have one of those.

Guinevere

He's a much bigger boy than I had anticipated.

[giggles]

Oh, you noticed that too.

Joe

That scarf, if I may say, looks perfect on you.

Guinevere

Well, thank you. It was a present. You know, I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever worn.

Joe

The flatterer has been out-flattered.

Guinevere

Sorry?

Joe

It's one of mine, the design. Last year, for Mimi Coture.

Guinevere
[pleasantly surprised]

My goodness!

Joe
[surprised and charmed]

You really didn't know? Well that is a compliment indeed, madam, thank you.

Guinevere
[Discussing Michael's abortive proposal attempt to Delysia and the reasons behind his spell in prison]

Dare I ask what happened?

After an hour and a half of bobbing around on my own, I opened the champagne. One glass didn't seem enough, one thing led to another... then I had a bit of a brainwave as we floated past the Tower of London.

Guinevere

Oh, dear.

Decided the ring I had wasn't good enough for her. And when a man wants a diamond, what better place to get one than the Tower of London? Well, the rest is all a bit hazy...

Guinevere
[As younger partygoers cheer a squadron of bombers flying overhead]

They don't remember the last one.

Joe

No. No, they don't.

Do you know what my name is, Guinevere?

Guinevere

I was under the impression it was Delysia Lafosse.

Sarah Grubb. One of the Pittsburg Grubbs. My father is a steelworker. No one else in the world knows that apart from Michael. And he doesn't judge me.

Guinevere

No, he wouldn't.

But you do.

Guinevere

Me? I certainly do not.

Oh, you think you don't, but you do. For all the fancy apartments and fashion shows, do you know how close I am to having nothing? Every day I wake up and I think, if I make the wrong move, I could be out on that street with no clothes, no food, no job, and no friends. Just plain old Sarah Grubb again. Do you know what that's like?

Guinevere

Yes, I do.

You do?

Guinevere

In that, at least, we are alike.

Joe
[Whilst dancing]

Are you all right?

Guinevere

Yes. Well, to take another woman's escort.

You didn't take me. I took you. I'm sure Edythe can cope. What happened to that particularly beautiful scarf you were wearing at the fashion show?

Guinevere

What are you talking about?

Joe

Despite your most elegant transformation, the body is still the same.

Guinevere

Mr. Blumfield!

Joe

As are the eyes. Most fetching if I may say.

Guinevere
[flattered but prim]

I'm not sure you should say.

Joe

I'm sorry; an occupational habit. A bad one. I have to remember you're not like these people.

Guinevere

Am I terribly old fashioned?

Joe

Indeed you are. And all the better for it.

[During an air-raid drill]

Guinevere, I'm scared!

Guinevere

It's just a drill, I'm sure it's just a drill.

But it won't always be, will it? We're going to war, aren't we?

Guinevere

Yes we are. And that is why you must not waste a second of this precious life. Listen to me. Once I too had ambitions. Not your grand ones, simple ambitions. Marriage, children and a house of our own. He died, in the mud in France. A good, solid man. You would call him dull, no doubt, but he smiled whenever he saw me and we could've built a life on that. Your heart knows the truth, Delysia. Trust it.

Guinevere
[Watching air-raid spotlights being tested; regarding the oncoming war and the previous one]

I don't think I can bear it again.

Joe

Did you lose many?

Guinevere

Just one. You?

Joe

Almost every school friend I had. One tries to forget.

Guinevere

If only one could.

Joe

You know, I've distracted myself with ridiculous things; youth, parties, lingerie. I mean, I trained in socks for goodness sake.

Guinevere
[amused]

Socks?

Joe
[mock affront]

There's a great deal of engineering in a gentlemen's sock, I'll have you know. In the stitching of the heel. By comparison, designing a brassiere is a piece of cake. Not that there aren't compensations.

Guinevere

None of them over 20, I imagine.

Joe

And all very easy on the eyes. But you know what? I'm done with it. I'm going back to gentlemen's hosiery. You know where you are with an honest pair of socks.

Guinevere

You certainly do.

Guinevere
[As Delysia prepares to leave for New York]

I will never forget the day we spent together. Not ever.

Nor I... Oh, goodbye Guinevere, I love you!

Joe
[After Joe and Guinevere are reunited]

Am I right in thinking you're no longer employed, Miss Pettigrew?

Guinevere

Quite correct.

Joe

So you're free?

Guinevere

Quite free. Might you be looking for a social secretary?

Joe

No, absolutely not.

Guinevere

Oh...

Joe

I'm looking for you. I've been looking for you all night, and I believe, all of my life. If you'll have me. [Guinevere is stunned into silence] A nod of the head will do me fine. [Guinevere nods] And I am, at a stroke, the happiest man in London.

Edythe
[coming out the back door of the club]

Told you about Gerry, has she? Didn't take you long to move on, hmm Joe?

Joe

Hello Edythe.

Edythe

Did she also tell you that she hangs around the soup kitchen at the station? A tramp masquerading as some sort of social secretary, my God.

Guinevere
[slightly embarassed]

Goodbye Mr. Blumfield. [goes back inside]

Joe
[standing, buttoning his jacket]

No, actually, she didn't. Neither about that, nor about you and Gerry. But I'm grateful for the truth for a change.

Other characters in Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

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