The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Ray Collins: Jack Amberson

Photos 

Quotes 

• Jack : My gosh, the old times are certainly starting all over again.

  Eugene : Old times, not a bit. There aren't any old times. When times are gone, they're not old, they're dead. There aren't any times but new times.

• Jack : Life and money both behave like - loose quicksilver in a nest of cracks. When they're gone, you can't tell where or what the devil you did with them.

• Maj. Amberson : So your devilish machines are going to ruin all your old friend, eh Gene? Do you really think they're going to change the face of the land?

  Eugene : They're already doing it major and it can't be stopped. Automobiles...

  [cut off by George] 

  George : Automobiles are a useless nuisance.

  Maj. Amberson : What did you say George?

  George : I said automobiles are a useless nuisance. Never amount to anything but a nuisance and they had no business to be invented.

  Jack : Of course you forget that Mr. Morgan makes them, also did his share in inventing them. If you weren't so thoughtless, he might think you were rather offensive.

  Eugene : I'm not sure George is wrong about automobiles. With all their speed forward they may be a step backward in civilization. May be that they won't add to the beauty of the world or the life of the men's souls, I'm not sure. But automobiles have come and almost all outwards things will be different because of what they bring. They're going to alter war and they're going to alter peace. And I think men's minds are going to be changed in subtle ways because of automobiles. And it may be that George is right. May be that in ten to twenty years from now that if we can see the inward change in men by that time, I shouldn't be able to defend the gasoline engine but agree with George - that automobiles had no business to be invented.

• Jack : Nobody has a good name in a bad mouth! Nobody has a good name in a silly mouth, either.

• Jack : You can't ever tell what will happen at all, can you? Once I stood where we're standing now to say goodbye to a pretty girl. Only, it was in the old station, before this was built. We called it the depot. We knew we wouldn't see each other again for almost a year. I thought I couldn't live through it. She stood there crying. Don't even know where she lives now. If she is living.