Philomena (2013)

Judi Dench: Philomena Lee

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Martin Sixsmith : The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.

  Philomena : That's lovely, Martin. Did you just think of that?

  Martin Sixsmith : No, it's T.S. Eliot

• Philomena : And after I had the sex, I thought anything that feels so lovely must be wrong.

  Martin Sixsmith : Fucking Catholics.

• Sister Hildegarde : Let me tell you something. I have kept my vow of chastity my whole life. Self-denial and mortification of the flesh; that's what brings us closer to God. Those girls have nobody to blame but themselves and their own carnal incompetence!

  Martin Sixsmith : You mean they had sex.

  Sister Hildegarde : What's done is done. What do you expect us to do about it now?

  Philomena : Nothing. There's nothing to be done or said. I found my son, that's what I came here for.

  [reprimanding] 

  Philomena : Martin.

  Martin Sixsmith : Hang on, hang on, I'll tell you what you can do. Say sorry, how about that? Apologize. Stop trying to cover things up. Get out there and clear all the weeds and crap off the graves of the mothers and the babies that died in childbirth!

  Sister Hildegarde : Their suffering was atonement for their sin.

  Martin Sixsmith : One of the mothers was fourteen years old!

  Philomena : Martin, that's enough.

  Sister Hildegarde : The Lord Jesus Christ will be my judge, not the likes of you.

  Martin Sixsmith : Really? Because I think if Jesus was here now, he'd tip you out of that fucking wheelchair - and you wouldn't get up and walk.

• Philomena : I forgive you because I don't want to remain angry.

• Philomena : But I don't wanna hate people. I don't wanna be like you. Look at you.

  Martin Sixsmith : I'm angry.

  Philomena : Must be exhausting.

• Mary : And that's him with Pete Olsen. Mike and Pete were...

  [embarassed] 

  Philomena : That's alright, Mary. I know Anthony was a gay homosexual. And we've met Marcia, who I believe was his beard. Is that right, Martin?

  Martin Sixsmith : Yes, that's, that's about right.

• Martin Sixsmith : [frustrated]  I asked a question.

  Sister Claire : You're a journalist.

  Martin Sixsmith : Yes. Well, I used to be.

  Philomena : He's a Roman Catholic.

  Martin Sixsmith : Yes. Well, I used to be.

• Philomena : Sister Hildegarde, I want you to know that I forgive you.

  Martin Sixsmith : What? Just like that?

  Philomena : Its not 'just like that'... it's hard. That's hard for me. But I don't want to hate people. I don't want to be like you... Look at you.

  Martin Sixsmith : I'm angry.

  Philomena : Must be exhausting...

• Philomena : I've always wanted to see him in his big chair.

  Martin Sixsmith : Well, he was uh... a big man. Literally. 6 foot 4, tallest American president.

  Philomena : You can see that. He's tall even sitting down.

• Martin Sixsmith : Now why would someone who cared so little about where he came from, wear something so Irish?

  Philomena : Well... perhaps he played the harp. He *was* gay.

  Martin Sixsmith : He didn't play the harp.

• Martin Sixsmith : Phil, how did you know he was gay?

  Philomena : Well he was a very sensitive little boy, and as the years rolled on, I always wondered if he might be. But when I saw the photograph of him in the Dungarees

  [chuckles] 

  Philomena : there was no doubt in my mind.

• Philomena : I just hope God isn't listening to you.

  Martin Sixsmith : Well I don't believe in God, so.

  [gestures] 

  Martin Sixsmith : Look, no thunderbolt.

  Philomena : What are you trying to prove?

  Martin Sixsmith : Nothing, just that you don't need religion to lead a happy and balanced life.

  Philomena : And you're happy and balanced, are you?

  Martin Sixsmith : I'm a journalist, Philomena. We ask questions. We don't believe something just because we're told it's the truth. Yet what does the Bible say? "Happy are those who do not see, yet believe." Hooray for blind faith and ignorance.

  Philomena : And what do you believe in? Picking holes in everyone else and being a smart aleck? Taking photos whenever you like?

  Martin Sixsmith : I read a very funny headline in a satirical newspaper the other day about the earthquake in Turkey. It said "God Outdoes Terrorists Yet Again." Why God suddenly feels the need to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent people escapes me. You should ask Him about it while you're in there. He'll probably say He moves in mysterious ways.

  Philomena : No, I think he'd say you're a feckin' idjit.

• Philomena : But what if he died in Vietnam? Or, or came back with no legs? Or lived on the street?

  Martin Sixsmith : Don't upset yourself. We don't know what we don't know.

• [repeated line] 

  Philomena : Well I didn't see that coming, Martin, not in a million years!

• Philomena : I'm sorry, Martin, should we pretend we don't know each other?

  Martin Sixsmith : No no no, it's just someone I used to work with. A spin doctor. I'm trying to avoid them.

  Philomena : Is that first class in there?

  Martin Sixsmith : [bitterly]  It's just a perk of the job.

  Philomena : Just because you're in first class doesn't make you a first class person.

  Martin Sixsmith : He's alright.

  Philomena : [leans in]  I think he needs a good swipe of shite.

• Mary : He wasn't too happy the last couple years of his life, working for Reagan. He was pretty messed up about it.

  Martin Sixsmith : The Republicans withdrew funding for AIDS research because they blamed the epidemic on the gay lifestyle.

  Philomena : Right, because some of them wouldn't wear condoms 'cause they said it spoils the feeling.

• Philomena : I remember that day at the fair. His father made me laugh by pretending to be an old man and I made him laugh by pretending to be an old woman. Now I am one, and I'll never know if Anthony ever even thought about me. And I'll never be able to say sorry.

• Philomena : I was going to ask you, Martin, if it'd be possible not to use my real name when you write the story? Why don't you just call me Nancy. I've always loved that name, Nancy. I have a niece called Nancy.

  [hesitates] 

  Philomena : Oh, maybe they'd think it's her. What about Anne? Anne Boleyn? That's a lovely na-

  [quietly] 

  Philomena : well somebody had that, of course...

• Philomena : [repeated]  He would've never had this if he'd stayed with me.

• Philomena : Remember Martin, it isn't their fault. They didn't know Anthony had a different name.

  Martin Sixsmith : One of them did.

• Jane : How do you feel about that, going to America with Martin?

  Philomena : [hesitates]  I, uh, I don't know.

  Jane : I could come with you if you like.

  Philomena : No no no, you have your work. I'm only worried that Martin would have to go all that way with a daft old woman like me.

  Martin Sixsmith : I don't think you're daft.

  Philomena : Oh, go away widja.

  Martin Sixsmith : Or old.

• Philomena : Oh... that's for good luck.

  Martin Sixsmith : I always thought that St. Christopher was a bit of a Mickey Mouse saint. I used to be an altar boy.

• Philomena : He doesn't want to see me, isn't it?

  Martin Sixsmith : Some people have problem to deal with the past... not you, though. But I'm sure he'll come around.