Gigi (1958)

Hermione Gingold: Madame Alvarez

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  [after a long while, Gaston returns to Madame Alvarez's apartment] 

  Gaston Lachaille : May I come in?

  [Gigi shrinks into a corner, hoping to be spared] 

  Madame Alvarez : Please, Gaston... no papers... no scandal.

  Gaston Lachaille : Madame, will you do me the honour, the favour... give me the infinite joy of bestowing on me... Gigi's hand in marriage?

  [Gigi, filled with relief and joy, draws to Gaston's side] 

  Madame Alvarez : [smiles]  Thank Heaven!

  ["Thank Heaven for Little Girls" plays again] 

• Madame Alvarez : How was Monte Carlo?

  Gaston Lachaille : It was a bore!

  Madame Alvarez : One has to be as rich as you are, Gaston, to be bored at Monte Carlo.

• Honore Lachaille : I'll tell you about that blue villa, Mamita. I was so much in love with you, I wanted to marry you. Yes, it's true. I was beginning to think of marriage. Imagine, marriage, ME! Oh, no! I was really desperate! I had to do something. And what I did was the soprano!

  Madame Alvarez : Thank you, Honore. That was the most charming and endearing excuse for infidelity I've ever heard.

• Honore Lachaille : I must tell you that you upset all my plans for the weekend! I came prepared for battle, and an old wound...

  [points to his heart] 

  Honore Lachaille : ...prevented me from charging.

  Madame Alvarez : I don't think she was your type anyway, Honore.

  Honore Lachaille : You were watching me?

  Madame Alvarez : Force of habit. When a pretty woman came by I always had to watch you.

• Gaston Lachaille : I brought you some caramels.

  Gigi : Thank you, Gaston.

  Madame Alvarez : Gaston, you spoil her so.

  Gaston Lachaille : The champagne is for you.

  Madame Alvarez : You spoil me too.

• [discussing Gigi's lessons with Aunt Alicia] 

  Madame Alvarez : Last week she taught her to eat cold lobster to perfection.

  Gaston Lachaille : What in heaven's name for?

  Madame Alvarez : She says it's extremely useful.

• Gaston Lachaille : I must consider my next move very carefully. All of Paris is watching me.

  Madame Alvarez : Gaston, what are you talking about? The whole world is watching you!

• [playing cards] 

  Gaston Lachaille : And therefore, I win!

  [playing his hand] 

  Gigi : And therefore... you lose!

  [playing her hand] 

  Gaston Lachaille : You cheated! Where did you get that fourth king?

  Gigi : I won! I won! I won!

  Gaston Lachaille : Now, you gypsy! You thief!

  Gigi : You're a muttonhead - do we go to Trouville?

  [excitedly claiming the win of their bet] 

  Gaston Lachaille : Yes, yes. You go to Trouville.

  Gigi : Hurray! Grandmama, we go to Trouville!

  Madame Alvarez : Oh, no, Gatson, it's out of the question.

  [Gigi lunges across Gaston's lap to pour herself a glass of Champagne] 

  Gaston Lachaille : Not at all. I'd love it. Believe it or not, Mamita, I have a better time with this outrageous

  [spanks Gigi's behind] 

  Gaston Lachaille : brat or your's than anybody in Paris. It'll be marvelous fun.

• [Gastone brings some champagne for Mamita] 

  Gigi : Can I take a glass of champagne, Mamita?

  Madame Alvarez : Have you lost your mind, Gigi? Of course not!

  [heads towards the kitchen; Gaston quickly slides his glass over to Gigi] 

• Aunt Alicia : Where is she? Perhaps I should talk to her again and tell her what she's missing. It's the *glory* of romance, forgetting everything in the arms of the man who adores you, listening to the music of *love* in an eternal spring.

  Madame Alvarez : And when eternal spring is over?

  Aunt Alicia : Oh, what difference does that make?

  Madame Alvarez : It makes a great deal of difference to Gigi. And may I tell you something? I'm not sure I don't agree with her.

  Aunt Alicia : You're a fool! And your granddaughter takes after you.

• [Gaston, outraged by the comments made about Gigi, drags her out of Maxim's] 

  Gigi : But I don't want to go home, Gaston! Let me go! What did I do, Gaston? What did I do?

  [Gaston arrives at Madame Alverez's home, angrily raps on the door and throws Gigi into Alvarez's shocked arms] 

  Madame Alvarez : Gigi! What happened?

  [Gaston leaves; Gigi bursts into tears] 

• [singing] 

  Gigi : What time tomorrow will we get there? / Can I watch you play roulette? / May I stay up late for supper? / Is it awfully awfully upper?

  Madame Alvarez : Gigi, you'll drive us wild! / Stop, you silly child!

  Gigi : Is everybody celebrated, / full of sin and dissipated? / Is it hot enough to blister? / Will I be your little sister?

  Madame Alvarez : Gigi, you are absurd! / Now not another word! Gigi!

  Gaston Lachaille : Let her gush and jabber, / let her be enthused! / I cannot remember / when I have been more amused!

  Madame Alvarez : Stop it!

  Gigi : The night they invented champagne, / it's plain as it can be / they thought of you and me. / The night they invented champagne, / they absolutely knew / that all we'd want to do / is fly to the sky on champagne / And shout to everyone in sight / that since the world began / no woman or a man / has ever been as happy as we are tonight!

  Gaston Lachaille : The night they invented champagne...

  [pops a cork] 

  Gigi , Gaston Lachaille : ...It's plain as it can be / they thought of you and me. / The night they invented champagne / they absolutely knew / that all we'd want to do / Is fly to the sky on champagne / and shout to everyone in sight

  [pops another cork] 

  Gigi , Gaston Lachaille : That since the world began / no woman or a man / has ever been as happy as we are tonight!

  [a cork is popped] 

• Honore Lachaille : You wore a gown of gold.

  Madame Alvarez : I was in blue.

  Honore Lachaille : Am I getting old?

  Madame Alvarez : Oh, no, not you! How strong you were, how young and gay / A prince of love, in every way!

  Honore Lachaille : Ah, yes, I remember it well...

• Honore Lachaille : We met at nine.

  Madame Alvarez : We met at eight.

  Honore Lachaille : I was on time.

  Madame Alvarez : No, you were late.

  Honore Lachaille : Ah, yes, I remember it well...

• Honore Lachaille : We dined with friends!

  Madame Alvarez : We dined alone.

  Honore Lachaille : A tenor sang.

  Madame Alvarez : A baritone.

  Honore Lachaille : Ah, yes, I remember it well...

• Honore Lachaille : That dazzling April moon!

  Madame Alvarez : There was none that night, / and the month was June.

  Honore Lachaille : That's right, that's right...

  Madame Alvarez : It warms my heart to know / you remember still the way you do.

  Honore Lachaille : Ah, yes, I remember it well...

• Honore Lachaille : How often I've thought of that Friday...

  Madame Alvarez : Monday...

  Honore Lachaille : ...night, when we had our last rendezvous. / And somehow I've foolishly wondered if you might by some chance be thinking of it too? That carriage ride...

  Madame Alvarez : You walked me home.

  Honore Lachaille : You lost a glove.

  Madame Alvarez : I lost a comb.

  Honore Lachaille : Ah, yes, I remember it well...

• Honore Lachaille : That brilliant sky.

  Madame Alvarez : We had some rain.

  Honore Lachaille : Those Russian songs.

  Madame Alvarez : From sunny Spain.

  Honore Lachaille : Ah, yes, I remember it well...

• [Aunt Alicia leaves her apartment for the first time in decades after hearing Gigi has rejected Gaston. She storms into the Alvarez apartment] 

  Aunt Alicia : Now, would you repeat that again, please?

  Madame Alvarez : She... she doesn't want to.

  Aunt Alicia : She doesn't want to.?

  Madame Alvarez : She doesn't want to.

  Aunt Alicia : Such stupidity is without equal in the entire history of human relations. It must be your fault. It must be! You must have emphasized all the difficulties instead of all the delights. What did you say to the little monster?

  Madame Alvarez : Oh no, Alicia! Gigi perhaps is a little slow about certain things but just because she isn't attracted to Gaston Lachaille doesn't make her a monster.

  Aunt Alicia : Doesn't make her a princess!

• Gaston Lachaille : How does your sister look? Still as young as ever?

  Madame Alvarez : Yes, Alicia is always the same. Living in the past must agree with her.

• Madame Alvarez : You go to school every morning. You see your Aunt Alicia once a week. That's all the lessons you need. When the time comes, you'll be ready.

  Gigi : Ready for what, Grandmama?

• Gaston Lachaille : Do you have a telephone yet, Mamita?

  Madame Alvarez : No, not yet. Not until Gigi is old enough to have secrets and admirers.

• Gigi : I hate this coat. It makes my legs feel so long.

  Madame Alvarez : Yes, your legs are long.

• Gaston Lachaille : Ah. It's so good to be here.

  Madame Alvarez : It's always a pleasure to watch the rich enjoying the comforts of the poor.

• Madame Alvarez : How is Honoré these days?

  Gaston Lachaille : The same. The same. A life devoted to the chase.

• Madame Alvarez : Gaston, Gigi takes advantage of you.

  Gaston Lachaille : Oh, let her. Let her, Mamita. It amuses me.

• Madame Alvarez : [Gaston helping Gigi snapping peas]  Be careful. You'll ruin your hands.

  Gaston Lachaille : It doesn't matter. I have a manicure every morning.

  Gigi : What a nuisance.

• Madame Alvarez : When was the suicide?

  Aunt Alicia : Last night.

  Madame Alvarez : How did she do it?

  Aunt Alicia : The usual way, insufficient poison. Say, how many times has she done it now?

• Madame Alvarez : We've missed you, Gaston. We haven't seen you since the suicide.

• Madame Alvarez : Oh, you always do things in the grand manner. Your parties have filled the newspapers.

  Gaston Lachaille : Sometimes the cure is more painful than the illness. But I have to do it. It's expected of me.

  Madame Alvarez : Oh, poor Gaston.

• Madame Alvarez : Gigi is my granddaughter.

  Honore Lachaille : Oh, no, not your *grand*daughter.

  Madame Alvarez : Oh, yes. Time does not stand still for all of us, Honoré.

• Madame Alvarez : Gigi? Do you really think...?

  Aunt Alicia : It's a chance. But a chance that we must take. From now on, dear sister, it's work, work, work - lessons, lessons, lessons.

• Madame Alvarez : Did you have a nice trip? How was Monte Carlo this year?

  Gaston Lachaille : Well, the sea is blue. The palm trees are green. The sun is yellow. It all makes a lovely post card.

• Gaston Lachaille : Are you trying to make me believe that if Gigi goes out with me, she'll be compromised?

  Madame Alvarez : Let us say she would be labeled. A young girl who goes out with you is no longer an ordinary young girl. Not even a respectable young girl.

• Aunt Alicia : When you speak to Gigi, be sure and stress the difficulties of the situation, rather than the delights. The role she will have to play. She's a naive, thoughtless girl. You must warn her not to ask him for the moon. Not only will he not give it to her...

  Madame Alvarez : Don't worry about her. You will think she's like you. Actually, you don't know her. There's no meanness in her at all.

  Aunt Alicia : Thank you very much.

  Madame Alvarez : I mean, she has no material ambition.

  Aunt Alicia : I understand. I understand.

• Madame Alvarez : Gaston, as God is my witness, I explained it to her. Believe me I explained it.

  Gaston Lachaille : You explained too much! You've trained her to know nothing but the sordid and the vulgar. But what about kindness, sweetness, benevolence? What of the tender heart bulging with generosity? These things exist too, Madame! Or have you never heard of them?

• Aunt Alicia : What did you say to her? Did you tell her about love, travel, moonlight, Italy? About hummingbirds in all the flowers and making *love* in a gardenia-scented garden?

  Madame Alvarez : I couldn't tell her that, Alicia. I've never been further than the Riviera.

  Aunt Alicia : Couldn't you have invented it?