The Rules of the Game (1939)

Jean Renoir: Octave

Photos 

Quotes 

• Octave : The awful thing about life is this: Everybody has their reasons.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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?

• Octave : She's a society woman and society has strict rules!

• Octave : It's just unpleasant to be reminded what a failure I am.

• Octave : I can and will look after her. She needs looking after. She's a foreigner among people who don't speak her language.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

  Christine de la Cheyniest : No?

• 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.

• Octave : Christine, du bist ein Engel!

  Christine de la Cheyniest : An angel?

  Octave : A dangerous angel, but an angel nonetheless.

• Octave : Lisette, cook me up two fried eggs, a big slice of ham and a glass of white wine. I'm starved!

• Geneviève de Marras : Come here. I'll take your bearskin off.

  Octave : About time!

• 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.