The Bookshop (2017)

Bill Nighy: Edmund Brundish

Photos 

Quotes 

• Edmund Brundish : Old age is not the same thing as historical interest. Otherwise you and I would be far more interesting than we are.

• Edmund Brundish : In the case of biographies, it's better, I find, if they're about good people, whereas novels are much more interesting if they are about nasty people.

• Florence Green : I mustn't let myself worry while there's life, there's hope.

  Edmund Brundish : Oh, God. What a horrifying thought.

• Edmund Brundish : Let me tell you what it is I admire about human beings. What I value most is the one virtue they share with gods and animals, and which I will therefore no longer refer to as a virtue. I mean... courage. And you, Mrs. Green, possess that quality in a-bundance. I would like - I would like to help. You make me believe - once more in things - things I - that I thought forgotten.

• Edmund Brundish : I could just put a bullet through her, but...

  [is disrupted by Florence laughing] 

  Edmund Brundish : I'm not sure that would be to your liking.

• Edmund Brundish : ...please, at your earliest convenience, send more books by Ray Bradbury.

• General Gamart : You seem to think I'm an outrageous person. Is that it?

  Edmund Brundish : I can't answer that question "yes" or "no". I suspect that by "outrageous" you mean "unexpectedly offensive". And the truth is that you have been fairly offensive, but also - repulsive, Mrs. Gamart. That is, you have behaved exactly as I expected.

• Edmund Brundish : I do not attach as much importance as you do, I dare say, to the notions of right and wrong. I have read Lolita, as you asked me to. It is a good book, and therefore I think you should try and sell it to the people of Hardborough. They won't understand it, but that's all for the best. Understanding makes the mind lazy.

• Edmund Brundish : [taking book out of delivery from the bookshop]  Fahrenheit four five one. What kind of book is this?

• Edmund Brundish : [in a letter to Florence]  I should undoubtedly visit your shop one day if I ever went out. But nowadays I rather make a point of never doing that.

• Edmund Brundish : That harpy. What she wants is an: arts center. Now, I ask you, what the hell does this damn village need with an arts center? And how could art have a center? But, she's got it into her head that it does.

• Violet Gamart : I wish I could do something more.

  Edmund Brundish : I assume then that you intend to do nothing.

• Edmund Brundish : What do you intend to do?

  Florence Green : Do? Is there anything I can do?

  Edmund Brundish : Yes! - No. Carry on.

  Florence Green : That's what I was going to do.

• Edmund Brundish : Well, please, come again, when you wish. And good luck with 'Lolita.'