Hope and Glory (1987)

Sebastian Rice-Edwards: Bill

Photos 

Quotes 

• Grandfather George : You want to know why they're called Faith, Hope, Grace and Charity?

  Bill Rowen : Why?

  Grandfather George : Your Grandmother. She named them after the virtues I lack. That's marriage for you!

• Teacher : [jabbing at a map of the world, with the British Empire lands in pink]  Pink. Pink. Pink. Pink. What are all the pink bits? Rowan.

  Bill Rowen : They're ours, Miss.

  Teacher : Yes. The British Empire. Arthur... what fraction of the earth's surface is British?

  Arthur in Roger's Gang : Don't know, Miss.

  Teacher : Anyone? Jennifer Baker?

  Jennifer Baker : Two-fifths, Miss.

  Teacher : Yes, two-fifths! Ours. That's what this war is all about. Men are fighting and dying to save all the pink bits for you ungrateful little twerps.

• [last lines] 

  Bill Rowen : In all my life nothing ever quite matched the perfect joy of that moment. My school lay in ruins, the river beckoned with the promise of stolen days.

• Grandfather George : All hens and no cocks. Too many women in our family. They're a different species from us, Bill.

  Bill Rowen : Don't you love them?

  Grandfather George : Oh, yes, love them. But don't try to understand them. That road leads to ruin.

• Bill Rowen : [after Grandfather shoots at a mouse and misses]  I think you hit him, Grandfather! He was limping when he ran off!

• Roger : Do you wanna join our gang?

  Bill Rowen : Don't mind.

  Roger : Do you know any swear words?

  Bill Rowen : Yes.

  Roger : Say them. Go on. Say them. You can't join if you can't swear.

  Bill Rowen : I only know one.

  Roger : Well, say that one, then. Go on.

  Bill Rowen : [softly]  Fuck.

  [Roger's gang is taken aback] 

  Roger : That word is special. That word is only used for something really important. Now, repeat after me: Bugger off.

  Bill Rowen : Bugger off.

  Roger : Sod.

  Bill Rowen : Sod.

  Roger : Bloody.

  Bill Rowen : Bloody.

  Roger : Now put them all together: Bugger off, you bloody sod.

  Bill Rowen : Bugger off, you bloody sod.

  Roger : Okay, you're in.

• Bill Rowen : It's an air raid!

  Clive Rowen : Good God. They've started already. Air raid! Get up! Stay down!

• Clive Rowen : Now... You know the leg break, right? And the off break. Now, the googly looks like a leg break but it's really an off break. Got it? Like this.

  Bill Rowen : That's like telling fibs.

  Clive Rowen : That's it. When you tell a lie, you want to get away with it. But when someone else does, you want to find them out. A good batsman will spot a googly. A good bowler will hide it. Always remember that, son.

• Bill Rowen : Don't worry, Sue. We're not gonna be like them when we grow up. We're not even like them now.

• Sue Rowan : [spying on Dawn and Bruce through the keyhole]  I suppose they're still learning. That's why they keep moving about.

  Bill Rowen : It's easy. I've done it.

  Sue Rowan : Who with?

  Bill Rowen : Pauline.

  Sue Rowan : Liar. Mummy keeps still and Daddy moves on top of her. That's what they do when they know how.

• Grandfather George : That was a googly!

  Bill Rowen : I know.

  Grandfather George : You're a dark horse, bowling googlies at your age.