The Best House in London (1969)
George Sanders: Sir Francis Leybourne
Photos
Quotes
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Sir Francis Leybourne : [the Attache is sobbing] I thought you people were supposed to be inscrutable?
Chinese Trade Attache : Please, Sir Francis, China doesn't want any more opium.
Sir Francis Leybourne : Oh, do be sensible. You chaps have already lost one war with Great Britain about this.
Chinese Trade Attache : But to force us to buy it...
Sir Francis Leybourne : Well, you signed a treaty agreeing to!
Chinese Trade Attache : Your gunboats were right up our Yangtze!
Sir Francis Leybourne : No use getting hysterical, Mr Feng.
Chinese Trade Attache : Then let me appeal to our friendship; those happy weekends I used to spend at your townhouse; your late wife was always so kind to me. More than kind. She...
Sir Francis Leybourne : She was an eccentric about the inferior races. My dear fellow, I've put a lot of money into that opium plantation. Damn it, it's hard enough to get the Indians to harvest the stuff. Blasted natives! You pay them two pounds ten a year and they're useless.
Chinese Trade Attache : If you could see what the opium does to our people; they lie about the streets like dead flies.
Sir Francis Leybourne : Well, get them to use a little self-discipline, man. Self control - works wonders. Look at the English!
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Sir Francis Leybourne : Our clients will be drawn only from gentlemen of rank, prominence, social standing, and wealth. None of your middle class rabble.
Babette : A tolerated house in England? Soon we will have the Queen eloping with the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Sir Francis Leybourne : That is unpardonably frivolous.
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Sir Francis Leybourne : There! You mutinous native dogs, fire if you dare! Upon the unconquerable flag of the British Empire.