Waiting for God (TV Series)

A Trip to Brighton (1990)

Stephanie Cole: Diana Trent

Quotes 

• Diana : I used to come down here during the war. I used the watch the air battles, the dogfights, out there. Our boys and their boys weaving about on a lovely summer's day, putting on such a show. If one of the Hun went down, the whole beach would cheer. If one of our boys was hit, even the wind would stop blowing. Time froze until the lad either parachuted to safety and your heart would leap, or he plunged into the sea and you all died with him. Nineteen or twenty years of some dear mother's adoration, loving care, just switched off, doused. It's why I never had children. Couldn't face losing them. It's why I never had much at all.

• [last lines] 

  Diana : You did quite well in there... for a fossilized old fruit loop. You should hang out in the real world more often.

  Tom : You think so?

  Diana : Why not? You could be a sort of late developer. Sort of Grandma - or Grandpa Moses.

  Tom : You're right. Absolutely right. And it's never too late to start. From now on I'm going to be brilliant, and famous in the real world. No more fantasies.

  Diana : Jolly good.

  Tom : I'll get on to Jimmy Stewart right away, and we'll really turn the place upside down. Come Christmas I should at least be front runner for president.

  [steps out onto patio] 

  Tom : My fellow Americans, think not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!

  Diana : Dear God, if you want to prove to me that you really do exist, blow him up.

  Tom : [shouting]  I have a dream! I have a dream!

• Diana : [Indicating Marion]  Someone cut that woman's throat.

  Marion : And you, you're just, just... a loose tart!

  Diana : Get me a knife, I'll do it meself.

• Diana : There is something essentially English about seaside candy floss. Its quite revolting. Goes with the grey sea and the fried food, and the appalling hopelessness of all those dead people dragging their lumpen bodies up and down waiting for the blessed relief of autumn, where they can let their brains fur over and their limbs atrophy while they crawl back into their holes and spend their winter breaking wind in front of the telly.

  Tom : Oh bloody hell...

• Tom : If you think life is one long bath in acid, why don't you pull the plug?

  Diana : Suicide?

  Tom : Mercy killing, in your case.

  Diana : No. Too many people to get even with, and the best way to do that is outlive them.

• [first lines] 

  Jane : Morning. There. Comfy, are we?

  Diana : The word is comfortable, you simpering nelly.

  Jane : Oh, you do make a mess around you. What's this roll doing here?

  Diana : Why don't you ask it? Or don't you speak roll?

• Diana : C'mon. We are going in search of some real traffic and real people.

  Tom : Where?

  Diana : Brighton.

  Tom : Brighton? Does Brighton really exist beyond the confines of naughty postcards?

  Diana : Possibly not, but we'll go and have a look. We'll take the Porsche. I'll drive and you can run up a huge bill on my niece's car-phone.

  Tom : Brighton! Porsche. Car-phone. Goodness.

  [pause] 

  Tom : I'm going to be a *guppie*!