The Rules of the Game (1939)
Jean Renoir: Octave
Photos
Quotes
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Octave : The awful thing about life is this: Everybody has their reasons.
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Octave : You have to understand, its the plight of all heroes today. In the air, they're terrific. But when they come back to earth, they're weak, poor, and helpless.
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Octave : You know what? I feel like skedaddling. I want to disappear down a hole.
Robert de la Cheyniest : What for?
Octave : So as not to have to figure out what's right and what's wrong.
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Octave : That's also part of the times. Today everyone lies. Pharmaceutical fliers, governments, the radio, the movies, the newspapers. So why shouldn't simple people like us lie as well?
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Octave : She's a society woman and society has strict rules!
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Octave : It's just unpleasant to be reminded what a failure I am.
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Octave : I can and will look after her. She needs looking after. She's a foreigner among people who don't speak her language.
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André Jurieux : If you want to make her happy, let her come with me. Because I love her. Seeing her with that idiot La Chesnaye! Him and his hunts, château and mechanical birds! Two-timing snob!
Octave : He may be a snob, but he's got his feet on the ground. Your head's in the clouds.
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Lisette, sa camériste : So, Mr. Octave! No hello?
Octave : Hello, Lisette.
[kiss on the neck]
Octave : Fresh as a rose.
Lisette, sa camériste : But you look awful.
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Octave : Listen, my dear. You throw yourself around people's necks like a 12-year-old. You can do it with me. You'll always be my little Salzburg girl. But with others it can be - awkward.
Christine de la Cheyniest : So, in Paris, you can't show a man affection without...
Octave : No.
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Octave : So you'll invite him?
Christine de la Cheyniest : I'll invite him. I don't want to be the woman who drove to despair the great hero, the idol of the masses. If his plane crashes, they'll blame it on me. They'll call me a vamp, public enemy, obstacle to progress. They'll talk about "the foreigner." And I hate martyrs.
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Octave : Christine, du bist ein Engel!
Christine de la Cheyniest : An angel?
Octave : A dangerous angel, but an angel nonetheless.
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Octave : Lisette, cook me up two fried eggs, a big slice of ham and a glass of white wine. I'm starved!
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Geneviève de Marras : Come here. I'll take your bearskin off.
Octave : About time!
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Christine de la Cheyniest : What's the matter?
Octave : Nothing. It's just unpleasant to be reminded what a failure I am. A leech! If I didn't have a few tolerant friends, I'd starve to death. But you know how when I was young, I also thought my day would come. The contact with an audience, that's what I wanted to have. It must be an overwhelming feeling. To think that I missed out on it! So I feed myself a lot of nonsense, imagine that it did happen. But it takes a drink.