The Children Act (2017)

Emma Thompson: Fiona Maye

Photos 

Quotes 

• Fiona Maye : Life is more precious than dignity.

• Jack Maye : How'd it go?

  Fiona Maye : I just gave orders to slaughter a baby. That's what the papers say.

  Jack Maye : Ah, yes. I saw that.

• Fiona Maye : This court is a court of law not of morals.

• [First Lines] 

  Jack Maye : Are you coming to bed?

  Fiona Maye : [continues typing without turning around to look at Jack]  Hmm.

  Jack Maye : Fi?

  Fiona Maye : It's tomorrow, the... My conjoined twins. Judgement. I've got the bloody Archbishop of Westminster breathing down my neck.

• Jack Maye : Look, you wanna live like this? Fine. I don't. I'm going to have this affair.

  Fiona Maye : And a divorce and the child I've failed to give you?

  Jack Maye : No. No divorce, no deception, no lies. I love you and we're meant to be together but... look, I could have gone behind your back.

  Fiona Maye : Oh, how very kind. I can't believe how cool we are. Open marriage. The time to suggest that, Jack, was before the wedding, not twenty years afterwards.

• Fiona Maye : But you don't know.

  Jack Maye : Then tell me. Everything.

  Fiona Maye : Will you still love me?

• Fiona Maye : I am bound by The Children Act, and the clear injunction of its opening lines. The child's wellfare shall be the courts paramount consideration. Assuming a good recovery, this young man's welfare is better served by his love of reading and his newly found passion for the guitar, by the exercise of his lively intelligence and by the expression of a playful affectionate nature and by all of live and love that lie ahead of him.

• Fiona Maye : Well, do join me. I'm afraid all I can promise you is two neglected children.

• Fiona Maye : [kicks Jack's trolley bag to the front door]  Excuse me, long day.

  [walks into the study and slams the door shut] 

• Jack Maye : I've been watching you sleep.

  Fiona Maye : Thank you.