The Ruling Class (1972)
Michael Bryant: Dr. Herder
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Quotes
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Dr. Herder : He can't forget being rejected by his mother and father at the age of 11. They sent him away, alone, into a primitive community of licensed bullies and pederasts.
Sir Charles : You mean he went to public school.
Dr. Herder : Exactly.
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Dr. Herder : Naturally, men aren't rats.
Lady Claire Gurney : Only a man would say so.
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Dr. Herder : His lordship is a paranoid schizophrenic.
Sir Charles : Paranoid schizophrenic? But he's a Gurney!
Dr. Herder : Then he's a paranoid schizophrenic Gurney who believes he's God.
Sir Charles : But we've always been Church of England!
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Sir Charles : What about Jack?
Dr. Herder : Remember he's suffering from delusions of grandeur. In reality he's an earl, an English aristocrat, a member of the ruling class. Naturally, he's come to believe there's only one person grander than that: the Lord God Almighty Himself.
Sir Charles : Are you English?
Dr. Herder : No.
Sir Charles : [slowly] Ah.
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Lady Claire Gurney : My husband's an idiot.
Dr. Herder : That's not my concern.
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Lady Claire Gurney : That's very clever, but ah is it true?
Dr. Herder : Don't come to me for the truth only explanation.
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Dr. Herder : Don't come to me for the truth, only explanations.
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Lady Claire Gurney : Why does he keep on about love?
Dr. Herder : Because he wants us all to love goodness. To love goodness is to love God. To love God is to love the 14th Earl of Gurney.
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Dr. Herder : To love goodness is to love God. To love God is to love the 14th Earl of Gurney.
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Lady Claire Gurney : Doctor, how are my questions revealing?
Dr. Herder : The first one you asked me was about love.
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Lady Claire Gurney : If I press a button, you'll feel fear? Love?
Dr. Herder : Love? No. Desire. Yes.
Lady Claire Gurney : What, by pressing a little button?
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Tucker : Why can't you look at my back?
Dr. Herder : I keep telling you, I'm a psychiatrist.
Tucker : It's just because I'm on the national health, isn't it? Damn money-grubbers! You and your "hypocrite's" oath.
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Dr. Herder : What does that look like? Is it a dragon? A spider? What does it remind you of?
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : God.
Dr. Herder : And this?
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : God. Everything that is or ever shall be reminds me of me.
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Dr. Herder : Yes. He's made a spectacular breakthrough. We're in the process of making a new man.
Lady Claire Gurney : I'm always on the lookout for new men.
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Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : You were fornicating lovers! Sperm dancers!
Dr. Herder : It's a lie! Lady Claire meant nothing to me.
Jack Arnold Alexander Tancred Gurney, 14th Earl of Gurney : Cock-a-doodle-doo!