Revolutionary Road (2008)

Kathy Bates: Mrs. Givings

Photos 

Quotes 

• Frank Wheeler : Actually, there's been a change in plans. I thought maybe it was obvious. April, here is pregnant.

  Mr. Howard Givings : Congratulations!

  Mrs. Helen Givings : Oh, April, I can't tell you how pleased I am! Oh, but I expect you'll be needing a bigger house now. Won't you?

  John Givings : Hold on a second now Mom. Hold on a second, Mom. I-I don't get this? I mean, what's so obvious about it? I mean, okay, she's pregnant. So what? Don't people have babies in Europe?

  Frank Wheeler : Suppose we just say that people anywhere aren't very well advised to have babies unless they can afford it.

  John Givings : Okay. Okay, it's a question of money. Money's a good reason. But, its hardly ever the *real* reason. What's the real reason? Wife talk you out of it or what? Little woman, decides she isn't quite ready to playing house? No. No, that's not it. I can tell. She looks too tough and mad as hell. Okay, then, it must have been you! What happened?

  Mrs. Helen Givings : John, please. You're being very rude.

  John Givings : No, no. What happened, Frank? You get cold feet? You decide - you're better off here, after all? You figure, it's more - comfy here in the old hopelessness emptiness, after all? Well, that did it! Look at his face. What's a matter, Wheeler? Am I gettin' warm?

• Mrs. Helen Givings : April, I'm sorry. I'm *so* sorry.

  John Givings : Oh, right! Sorry. Sorry! Sorry! Oh-oh! Oh mom, have I said I'm sorry enough times, damn? I am sorry, too. I'm just about the sorriest bastard I know. But get right down to it, I don't have a whole hell of a lot to be glad about, do I?

  John Givings : [to a pregnant April]  Oh but hey, you know what? I am glad about one thing. You wanna know what I'm glad about? I'm glad I'm not gonna be that kid.

• John Givings : You a lawyer, Frank?

  Frank Wheeler : No, I'm not.

  John Givings : I could use a lawyer...

  Mr. Howard Givings : John, let's not get started again about the lawyer.

  John Givings : Pop, couldn't you just sit there and eat your wonderful egg salad, and quit horning in?

  [Returns his attention to Frank] 

  John Givings : See, I've got a good many questions to ask and I'm willing to pay for the answers... Now, I don't need to be told that a man who goes after his mother with a coffee table is putting himself in a weak position, legally; that's obvious.

  Mrs. Helen Givings : John, come and have a look out this fabulous picture window.

  [She walks to the window] 

  John Givings : If he hits her with it and kills her, that's a criminal case...

  Mrs. Helen Givings : Oh, look, the sun's coming out!

  John Givings : If all he does is break the coffee table and give her a certain amount of aggravation and she decides to go to court over it, that's a civil case...

  Mrs. Helen Givings : Maybe we'll see a rainbow! John, come have a look...

  John Givings : Ma, how about doing everybody a favor? How about shutting up?

• Mrs. Helen Givings : [Final words]  Oh, I was very fond of the Wheelers. They were a bit whimsical for my taste. A bit neurotic. I never stressed it, but, they were often very trying people to deal with, in many ways. And actually, the main reason the little house was so hard to sell was because they let it depreciate so dreadfully. Warped window frames. Wet cellar. Crayon marks on the...

  [Mr. Givings turns off his hearing aid] 

• Mrs. Helen Givings : I remember the first day you came off the train. You weren't like my other clients. You were - different. You just seemed - special. - - Of course, you still are.