Being There Quotes

Chance the Gardener I like to watch.

Dennis Watson You know, I've never met anyone like you in Washington before.

Chance Yes, I've been here all my life.

Dennis Watson Really? And uh, where have you been all MY life? … Ah, tell me, Mr. Gardner... have you ever had sex with a man?

Chance No... I don't think so.

Dennis Watson We could go upstairs right now.

Chance Is there a TV upstairs? I like to watch.

Dennis Watson You like to uh, watch?

Chance Yes.

Dennis Watson You wait right here. I'll go get Warren!

President "Bobby Mr. Gardner, do you agree with Ben, or do you think that we can stimulate ] through temporary incentives?

Chance As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the ].

President "Bobby In the garden.

Chance Yes. In the garden, growth has it seasons. First comes spring and summer, but then we have fall and winter. And then we get spring and summer again.

President "Bobby Spring and summer.

Chance Yes.

President "Bobby Then fall and winter.

Chance Yes.

Benjamin Rand I think what our insightful young friend is saying is that we welcome the inevitable seasons of nature, but we're upset by the seasons of our economy.

Chance Yes! There will be growth in the spring!

Benjamin Rand Hmm!

Chance Hmm!

President "Bobby Hm. Well, Mr. Gardner, I must admit that is one of the most refreshing and optimistic statements I've heard in a very, very long time. … I admire your good, solid sense. That's precisely what we lack on Capitol Hill.

Quotes about Being There There's an exhilaration in seeing artists at the very top of their form: It almost doesn't matter what the form is, if they're pushing their limits and going for broke and it's working. We can sense their joy of achievement — and even more so if the project in question is a risky, off-the-wall idea that could just as easily have ended disastrously. ]'s Being There is a movie that inspires those feelings. It begins with a cockamamie notion, it's basically one joke told for two hours, and it requires ] to maintain an excruciatingly narrow tone of behavior in a role that has him onscreen almost constantly. It's a movie based on an idea, and all the conventional wisdom agrees that emotions, not ideas, are the best to make movies from. But Being There pulls off its long shot and is a confoundingly provocative movie.

Abraz Bullshit. Who sent you here, boy? Did that chickenshit asshole Raphael send you, boy?

Chance No. Mr. Thomas Franklin told me I must leave the old man's house. He's dead, you know.

Abraz Dead, my ass. You tell that asshole, if he got somethin to tell me, to get his ass down here himself! You got that, boy?

Chance If I see Rafael, I will relay your message.

President "Bobby ] is a state of ].

Taglines Life is a state of mind.

Chance the Gardener This is just like ], only you can see much further.

Chance the Gardener * Stepping out of an elevator.

Chance the Gardener That was a very small room.

Chance the Gardener * Riding in a car for the first time.

Quotes about Being There * ], in The Great Movies II (2006), p. 52

Ron Steigler Mr. Gardner, uh, my editors and I have been wondering if you would consider writing a book for us, something about your um, political philosophy, what do you say?

Chance I can't write.

Ron Steigler Heh, heh, of course not, who can nowadays? Listen, I have trouble writing a postcard to my children. Look uhh, we can give you a six figure advance, I'll provide you with the very best ghost-writer, proof-readers...

Chance I can't read.

Ron Steigler Of course you can't! No one has the time! We, we glance at things, we watch television...

Chance I like to watch TV.

Ron Steigler Oh, oh, oh sure you do. No one reads!

Taglines Getting there is half the fun; being there is all of it!

Louise He's dead, Chance. The old man's dead.

Chance I see.

Quotes about Being There What is Being There about? I've read reviews calling it an indictment of ]. But that doesn't fit; Sellers wasn't warped by television, he was retarded to begin with, and has TV to thank for what abilities he has to move in society. Is it an indictment of society, for being so dumb as to accept the Sellers character as a great philosophical sage? Maybe, but that's not so fascinating either. I'm not really inclined to plumb this movie for its message, although I'm sure that'll be a favorite audience sport. I just admire it for having the guts to take this weird conceit and push it to its ultimate ] conclusion.

Quotes about Being There * ], in a review of Being There (1 January 1980)

Taglines A story of chance.

Chance the Gardener * Repeated lines, initially referring simply to his lifelong habit of watching television.

Morton Hull Do you realize that more people will be watching you tonight, than all those who have seen theater plays in the last forty years?

Chance Why?

Thomas Franklin It's that gardener.

Johanna Yes, Chauncey Gardiner.

Thomas Franklin No, he's a real gardener.

Johanna He does talk like one. I think he's brilliant.

Louise It's for sure a white man's world in America. Look here: I raised that boy since he was the size of a ]. And I'll say right now, he never learned to read and write. No, sir. Had no brains at all. Was stuffed with rice pudding between th ears. Shortchanged by the Lord, and dumb as a jackass. Look at him now! Yes, sir, all you've gotta be is white in America, to get whatever you want. Gobbledy-gook!

Quotes about Being There The movie presents us with an image, and while you may discuss the meaning of the image, it is not permitted to devise explanations for it.