The Last Unicorn (1982)

Tammy Grimes: Molly Grue

Photos 

Quotes 

• Molly : No, it can't be. Can it be? Where have you been? Where have you been? Damn you! Where have you been?

  Schmendrick : Don't you talk to her that way!

  Unicorn : I'm here now.

  Molly : And where were you twenty years ago? Ten years ago? Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to? How dare you! How dare you come to me now, when I am this!

  [Weeps] 

  Schmendrick : Can you really see her? Do you know what she is?

  Molly : If you had been waiting to see a unicorn, as long as I have...

  Schmendrick : She's the last unicorn in the world.

  Molly : It would be the last unicorn that came to Molly Grue. It's all right, I forgive you.

• Molly Grue : Why won't you help me? Why must you always speak in riddles?

  The Cat : Because I be, what I be. I would tell you what you want to know if I could, mum, but I be a cat. And no cat anywhere, ever gave anyone a straight answer.

• Schmendrick : The magic chose the shape, not I. I am a bearer, I am a dwelling, I am a messenger...

  Molly : You are an idiot! Do you hear me? You LOST her! You trapped her in a human body! She'll go MAD!

• Schmendrick : If we run away then all the unicorns of the world will remain prisoners forever except one. And she will grow old and die.

  Amalthea : Everything dies! I want to die when you die.

  [looks at Lir] 

  Amalthea : I'm no unicorn, no magical creature. I'm a woman, and I love you, Lir. Don't let him change me! Lir, I will not love you when I'm a unicorn.

  Prince Lir : Amalthea, don't...

  Schmendrick : Then let the quest end here! I don't think I could change you back, even if you wished it. Marry the prince, and live happily ever after.

  Amalthea : Yes, that is my wish.

  Prince Lir : No. My lady, I am a hero. Heroes know that things must happen when it is time for them to happen. A quest may not simply be abandoned; unicorns may go unrescued for a long time, but not forever. A happy ending cannot come in the middle of the story.

  Molly Grue : But what if there isn't a happy ending?

  Schmendrick : There are no happy endings, because nothing ends.

  Molly Grue : Schmendrick, let her stay the way she is. Let her be...

  Schmendrick : That's not in the story. Lir know that, and so does she.

  Molly Grue : You don't care! You don't care what happens to her or to the others, just so you're a real magician at last. You don't care-"

  Schmendrick : Well I wish I didn't care! I wish to God I didn't care about anything but my magic! But I do! I do.

• Molly Grue : Please! Please do something!

  Schmendrick the Magician : What can I do? Do you think the Red Bull likes card tricks? If I could, I would change her into some other creature, some beast too humble for the Bull to be concerned with. But that would take a real magician with real magic, and I can't pretend anymore...

  Molly Grue : But you do. You have magic. Maybe you can't find it, but it's there. You called Robin Hood, and there is no Robin Hood. You have all the power you need if you dared to look for it.

• Schmendrick the Magician : Come with me.

  Molly Grue : I will.

• Molly : Where were you twenty years ago? Ten years ago? Where were you when I was new? When I was one of those innocent young maidens you always come to? How dare you! How dare you come to me now, when I am this!

• Molly Grue : What is the use of wizardry if it cannot save a unicorn?

  Schmendrick the Magician : That is what heroes are for.

• Schmendrick : [the skull laughs obnoxiously]  Shut up, you pretentious kneecap! How'd you like a punch in the eye?

  Molly Grue : Schmendrick! You made it laugh, anyway. Maybe that's all you need for the riddle.

  The Skull : [choking with laughter]  ... It isn't!