The Reader (2008)

David Kross: Young Michael Berg

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Michael : I'm not frightened. I'm not frightened of anything. The more I suffer, the more I love. Danger will only increase my love. It will sharpen it, it will give it spice. I will be the only angel you need. You will leave life even more beautiful than you entered it. Heaven will take you back and look at you and say: Only one thing can make a soul complete, and that thing is love.

• Michael : I don't know what to say. I've never been with a woman before. We've been together four weeks, and I can't live without you. I can't. Even the thought of it kills me.

• Michael : I didn't mean to upset you.

  Hanna Schmitz : You don't have the power to upset me. You don't matter enough to upset me.

• Professor Rohl : You have been skipping seminars.

  Michael : I have a piece of information, concerning one of the defendants. Something they do not admitting.

  Professor Rohl : What information? You don't need to tell me. It's perfectly clear you have a moral obligation to disclose it to the court.

  Michael : It happens this information is favorable to the defendant. It can help her case. It may even affect the outcome, certainly the sentencing.

  Professor Rohl : So?

  Michael : There's a problem. The defendant herself is determined to keep this information secret.

  Professor Rohl : What are her reasons?

  Michael : Because she's ashamed.

  Professor Rohl : Ashamed of what? Have you spoken to her?

  Michael : Of course not.

  Professor Rohl : Why "of course not"?

  Michael : I can't. I can't do that. I can't talk to her.

  Professor Rohl : What we feel isn't important. It's utterly unimportant. The only question is what we do. If people like you don't learn from what happened to people like me, then what the hell is the point of anything?

• Michael : I sat in the second carriage because I thought you might kiss me.

  Hanna Schmitz : Kid, you thought we could make love in a tram?

  Michael : Is it true what you said? That I don't matter to you?

  Hanna Schmitz : [shakes head] 

  Michael : Do you forgive me?

  Hanna Schmitz : [nods] 

  Michael : Do you love me?

  Hanna Schmitz : [nods] 

• Michael : [reading from "Lady Chatterley's Lover"]  "Lady Chatterley felt his naked flesh against her as he came into her. For a moment, he was still inside her..."

  Hanna Schmitz : This is disgusting. Where did you get this?

  Michael : I borrowed it from someone at school.

  Hanna Schmitz : Well, you should be ashamed.

  [pauses] 

  Hanna Schmitz : Go on.

• Michael : What's your name?

  Hanna Schmitz : What?

  Michael : Your name.

  Hanna Schmitz : Why do you want to know?

  Michael : I've been here three times. I want to know your name. What's wrong with that?

  Hanna Schmitz : Nothing, kid. There's nothing wrong with that. It's Hanna.

  Michael : You looked so suspicious.

  Hanna Schmitz : What's yours, kid?

  Michael : Michael.

  Hanna Schmitz : Michael. So I'm with a Michael.

• Michael : What are you doing? What is this? Why did you behave as if you didn't know me?

  Hanna Schmitz : You didn't want to know me! You could see I was in the first carriage. So why did you get on the second?

  Michael : What did you think I was doing? Why the hell did you think I was there?

  Hanna Schmitz : How should I know? I've been working. I need a bath, and I'd like to be by myself. Would you please leave?

  Michael : I didn't mean to upset you.

  Hanna Schmitz : You don't have the power to upset me. You don't matter enough to upset me.

• Hanna Schmitz : Do you have a book?

  Michael : Yes, I have. I took one with me this morning.

  Hanna Schmitz : What is it?

  Michael : The Odyssey by Homer. It's my homework.

  Hanna Schmitz : We're changing the order we do things. Read to me first, kid. Then we make love.

• Michael : What's wrong now?

  Hanna Schmitz : Nothing's wrong. Nothing.

  Michael : You know, you never ask. You never bother to ask how *I* am!

  Hanna Schmitz : You never say.

  Michael : It just happens to be my birthday. It's my birthday, that's all! In fact, you've never even asked when it is!

  Hanna Schmitz : You want a fight, kid!

  Michael : No, I don't want a fight! What's wrong with you?

  Hanna Schmitz : What business is it of yours?

  Michael : Always on your terms, everything. What you want, it's always what *you* want. My friends were giving me a party.

  Hanna Schmitz : Then why are you here then? Go back to your party. Is that what you want?

• Michael : I brought you these flowers. To say thank you.

  Hanna Schmitz : Put them over there in the sink.

  Michael : I would've come earlier but I've been in bed for three months.

  Hanna Schmitz : You are better now?

  Michael : Yes, thank you.

  Hanna Schmitz : Have you always been weak?

  Michael : Oh no, I've never been sick before. It's incredibly boring. There's nothing to do. I couldn't even be bothered to read.

• Michael : [from the theatrical trailer]  .

  [At the Tram Terminal] 

  Michael : [in insistent upset voice]  I'm looking for Hanna Schmitz!

  Tram Supervisor : Schmitz has left.

  Michael : [surprised and even more upset]  LEFT?

• Michael : I can't live without you. The thought of leaving you kills me. Do you love me?

• Michael : Here, let me show you where we're going.

  Hanna Schmitz : It's okay, kid. I don't want to know.

• Hanna Schmitz : You're good at it, aren't you?

  Michael : Good at what?

  Michael : Reading.

  Hanna Schmitz : What's funny?

  Michael : I didn't think I was good at anything.

• Michael : Like this?

  Hanna Schmitz : That's right. Mmm. Ah-ah. No, not so fast. Ah-Ah. Mmm. Mmm. Ah! It's all right. Do it again. Mmm. Oh! Oh!

• Hanna Schmitz : I'll get you a towel. So that's why you came back.

  Michael : You're so beautiful.

  Hanna Schmitz : What are you talking about?

  [kiss] 

  Hanna Schmitz : Look at me, kid. Mmm! Mmm! Slowly. Slowly...

• Michael : It's always me that has to apologize.

  Hanna Schmitz : You don't have to apologize. No one has to apologize. War and Peace, kid.