A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Marius Goring: Conductor 71

Photos 

Quotes 

• Conductor 71 : One is starved for Technicolor up there.

• Chief Recorder : Don't you know that any slip must be reported immediately?

  Conductor 71 : I lost my head.

  Chief Recorder : Not long in the service?

  Conductor 71 : I joined in the so-called Second Germinal of the so-called glorious French Revolution.

  Chief Recorder : I see. Natural death?

  Conductor 71 : I lost my head.

• Conductor 71 : [On the Stairway to Heaven, passing by various statues representing important figures in history, points to a statue of Abraham Lincoln]  What about him?

  Peter : Lincoln? No, it's hardly fair to drag him in. I don't believe *he'd* be prejudiced.

  Conductor 71 : Plato. How would you like to be defended by Plato? Nobody knew more about reasoning than Plato.

  Peter : He was eighty-one when he died, he might be too old to think love important.

  Conductor 71 : You think so? Anyhow, Plato had very elementary ideas about love.

  Peter : Besides, didn't he quote Sophocles when somebody asked him if he was still able to appreciate a woman?

  Conductor 71 : What did the old boy say?

  Peter : Well, he said, uh, "I'm only too glad to be rid of all that. It's like escaping from bondage to a raving madman."

  Conductor 71 : [scoffs]  These Greeks, cold as their marble. Now, if he had been French... Richelieu, for example, irresistible at eighty. How *about* Richelieu?

  Peter : No, I never liked him much in "The Three Musketeers".

• Conductor 71 : After all, what is time? A mere tyranny.

• Conductor 71 : You are determined to get me into this... salade.

  Peter : And what about the salad you got me into?

• Conductor 71 : Ah, these English! What is the good of kissing a girl if she does not feel it?

• Conductor 71 : [speaking with strong French accent]  Your time was up. But they missed you because of your ridiculous English climate.

• Peter Carter : You've got good news for me, my friend.

  Conductor 71 : How did you guess?

  Peter Carter : Well, you wouldn't try to entice me with this Philimor...

  Conductor 71 : Philidor!

  Peter Carter : Philidor... if you had the right to conduct me anyway.

  Conductor 71 : True.

  Peter Carter : Well?

  Conductor 71 : Speaking officially, I have good news for you.

  Peter Carter : Good.

  Conductor 71 : You are to be allowed to appeal to the High Court.

  Peter Carter : Splendid!

  Conductor 71 : The trial will be a full dress affair. Très chic!... in three days, to give you time to prepare your case.

  Peter Carter : Better and better!

  Conductor 71 : Hmm... do not be too pleased.

  Peter Carter : Why? Is there a catch?

  Conductor 71 : The prosecuting counsel. Of course, I am not permitted to offer advice or give a personal opinion but... phhht!

  Peter Carter : Well, who is this prosecuting counsel?

  Conductor 71 : Be prepared!

  Peter Carter : For what?

  Conductor 71 : A shock!

  Peter Carter : Well, come on, tell me the worst. Who is it?

  Conductor 71 : Abraham Farlan!

  Peter Carter : Come again?

  Conductor 71 : Abraham Farlan!

  [With less of his French accent] 

  Peter Carter : Well, I never heard of him!

  Conductor 71 : No?

  Peter Carter : Never in my life!

  Conductor 71 : He lives in Boston!

  Peter Carter : I've never been in Boston!

  Conductor 71 : Massachusetts!

  Peter Carter : I've never been there!

  Conductor 71 : Abraham Farlan died in Boston in 1775. Does that date convey anything to you?

  Peter Carter : Lexington? Concord?

  Conductor 71 : Exactly! You are good at history. The American War of Independence.

  Peter Carter : Oh, he was killed?

  Conductor 71 : By a British bullet!

  Peter Carter : Oh, he might be, ah, prejudiced!

  Conductor 71 : Hmm, he hates your guts! And he hates the guts of every Englishman! And, particularly, he hates this little affair with a Boston-born girl!

  Peter Carter : [Offended]  It's not a little affair!

  Conductor 71 : Oh! A BIG affair he will hate even more!

• Conductor 71 : She cannot wake. We are talking in space, not in time.

  Peter : Are you cracked?

  Conductor 71 : Look at your watch. It has not moved since you said so charmingly, "Drink, darling." Nor will it move, nor will anything move, until we have finished our little talk. It is only a trick.

• Conductor 71 : [71 has returned to give Peter the news on his request for an appeal against being "conducted" to the other world. 71 is looking at the book on chess that Peter was reading when 71 disturbed him: My Best Games of Chess: 1924-1937 by Alexander Alekhine]  This looks good.

  Peter Carter : Very good. Do you know the author?

  Conductor 71 : No, but I often have a game with Philidor.

  Peter Carter : Philidor?

  Conductor 71 : The greatest master of chess who ever lived. A Frenchman, naturellement! Come along and I'll introduce you.