The V.I.P.s (1963)

Richard Burton: Paul Andros

Photos 

Quotes 

• Paul Andros : Pay no attention. Drunks cry very easily. It's only the whiskey.

• Miss Mead : Mm, Mr. Andros?

  Paul Andros : Hm?

  Miss Mead : I don't suppose you've ever before been approached by a perfectly strange woman in a hotel lounge asking you for 153,750 pounds?

  Paul Andros : No, I don't think I have.

  Miss Mead : My name is Miss Mead. I'm the personal private secretary of Mr. Les Mangrum.

  Paul Andros : Who's he?

  Miss Mead : The President of Mangrum Tractors. You've heard of Mangrum Tractors?

  Paul Andros : Yes, I have, I think. That's the firm that's been taken over by Amalgamated Motors.

  Miss Mead : They haven't, not yet, they will tomorrow. Of course, it's not a very big firm, as far as your standards are concerned, but it's a wonderful firm, and it... makes wonderful tractors.

  Paul Andros : I have no reason to doubt what you're telling me. If Mangrum Tractors wasn't a good firm, Amalgamated Motors would hardly have wanted to take it over.

  Miss Mead : This is... this is the last balance sheet

  [handing it to him] 

  Miss Mead : .

  Paul Andros : [looking at it]  Yes, very impressive. I can see well why Mr. Mangrum wishes to keep it as his own.

  Miss Mead : And he should keep it as his own! He built it from nothing into this, and these big monopoly combines should be fought!

  Paul Andros : Yes, I agree. They should be fought.

  Miss Mead : If only you knew the fight he put up these last three months.

  Paul Andros : I can well imagine. To fight Amalgamated Motors would be quite a battle, Miss Mead, even for me.

  Miss Mead : And until today - well, a few hours ago even - he'd won it. And then someone let him down, and he had to write a check, and there's no money to cover it. And now this fog.

  [getting her handkerchief] 

  Miss Mead : I feel so sorry for him, Mr. Andros, he's, he's such a wonderful man, and he's so young, and I'm sorry, you must think I'm mad, it's just that

  [wiping her nose] 

  Miss Mead : we've been through so much, and tonight I had some champagne...

  Paul Andros : Does he know how much you love him?

  Miss Mead : [stunned]  Who... who said I loved him? It's the company.

  Paul Andros : Yes... they make wonderful tractors.

• Paul Andros : Where do you want to go, Marc?

  Marc Champselle : What do you mean?

  Paul Andros : Cannes is a bit dead in January. What about the West Indies? No, of course, you'd miss your gambling, wouldn't you. What about Rio? That's pleasant at this time of year.

  Marc Champselle : I'm going to New York, Paul. With your wife.

  Paul Andros : I made this out for 10,000 pounds. That's at least twice your nuisance value. But, I don't enjoy haggling.

• Miss Mead : Mr, Mr, Andros? I-I don't suppose you've ever before been approached by a perfectly strange woman in a hotel lounge asking you for 153,750 pounds?

  Paul Andros : No, I, don't think I have.

• Marc Champselle : I've been on the receiving end for most of my life, so I know what I've talking about... generosity is a killer. Checkbook generosity. It... it kills your pride, you see. I remember...

  Paul Andros : We were talking about my wife.

• Paul Andros : Well, if it isn't sex, what is it, then?

  Frances Andros : The words you've been using - need, and love.

  Paul Andros : He's incapable of love.

  Frances Andros : His need. My love.

  Paul Andros : His need is for charvet ties and silk shirts, and your love is too precious to be thrown away on a Marc Champselle. There are thousands of them! Later on, perhaps, when you're at the right age. Only don't let me know about him, in case I shoot him. At least that would make some kind of sense! But to destroy both of our lives for a male whore...

  Frances Andros : Paul! Paul, I think you'd better go now.