Gods and Monsters (1998)

Ian McKellen: James Whale

Photos 

Quotes 

• James Whale : Ma'am, may I introduce Mr Clayton Boone, my gardener.

  Clayton Boone : How do you do? Clay Boone.

  Princess Margaret : Quite. I adore gardens.

  James Whale : He's never met a princess, only queens.

• James Whale : [while sketching Boone]  Oh, that shirt, Mr. Boone.

  Clayton Boone : Hmm?

  James Whale : Yes, I-I am sorry. It's just too white. It's too distracting. Would it be asking you too much to take it off?

  Clayton Boone : [nervous]  Well, I'm not wearing an undershirt today.

  James Whale : Oh, pish posh, I'm not your Aunt Tillie.

• James Whale : My life is a game of strip poker. Want to play?

• James Whale : Making movies is the most wonderful thing in the world. Working with friends - entertaining people - yes, I suppose I miss it.

• Ernest Thesiger : [speaking to Colin Clive about the implications behind the Bride of Frankenstein's dress and hair]  I gather we not only did her hair, but dressed her. What a couple of queens we are, Colin.

  James Whale : Yes, that's right, a couple of flaming queens. Pretorius is a little bit in love with Dr. Frankenstein, you know.

• Clayton Boone : No, I don't have a girlfriend.

  James Whale : Why not?

  Clayton Boone : You have to kiss some ass to get a piece of it.

• James Whale : And we're quite informal around here - no need to worry about a bathing suit.

• James Whale : Who is this new yardman?

  Hannah : Mr. Bugen... something B... I don't know. He came cheap!

• James Whale : [about the Frankenstein monster]  He's noble. Noble and misunderstood.

• [Hannah is disturbed by the image of Boris Karloff as Frankenstein's Monster] 

  Hannah : Oh, that monster. How could you be working with him?

  James Whale : Don't be daft. He's a very proper actor... and the dullest fellow imaginable.

• Clayton Boone : Well, um, w-what were some of your movies?

  James Whale : Oh, this and that. The only ones that you may have heard of are the Frankenstein movies.

  Clayton Boone : Frankenstein? And, um, uh, Bride of Frankenstein? And the Son of? And the other ones too?

  James Whale : Uh, no, I-I just directed the first two. The others were done by hacks.

• James Whale : One likes to live simply.

• James Whale : Take off your shirt, and I'll tell you all about it.

• James Whale : There are no Monsters here...

• James Whale : Hatred was the only thing that kept my soul alive. And amongst the men I hated... was my dear old dumb father, who put me in that hell in the first place.

• Edmund Kay : You're a dirty old man.

  James Whale : Oh.

• James Whale : I have no interest in your body, Mr. Boone.

• James Whale : I've spent much of my life outrunning the past, and now it floods all over me.

• James Whale : Am I right in assuming, Mr. Kay, that it's not me that you're interested in, but only my horror pictures?

  Edmund Kay : No, but it's the horror movies you'll be remembered for.

  James Whale : I'm not dead yet, Mr. Kay.

• James Whale : Bells of hell go ting-a-ling-a-ling, for you but not for me. O death, where is thy sting-a-ling-a-ling? Grave, where thy victory?

• James Whale : It is kind of you to indulge your elders in their vices. Just as I indulge the young in theirs.

• James Whale : I suppose you'd like the top down?

  Clayton Boone : If that's all right with you.

  James Whale : Nothing would please me more.

• David Lewis : You only embarrass yourself.

  James Whale : Oh dear, I'll never work in this town again.

• James Whale : There was a time when this place was full of pricks. Big, hard, arrogant pricks.

  Clayton Boone : Enough already. Isn't it bad enough that you tell me you're a fucking homo? You have to rub it in my face?

• Clayton Boone : What was that all about?

  [referring to conversation between Whale and Cuckor] 

  James Whale : Oh, don't worry. Nothing of any importance. Just two old men slapping each other with lilies.

• James Whale : Oh, shut up. All we did was talk.

• James Whale : Oh, don't be daft.

• Hannah : Mr. Boone. He is an interesting friend.

  James Whale : I'd hardly call our yardman a friend.

  Hannah : No. But someone you can talk to.

  James Whale : [Whale stops, turns to Hanna]  Do you miss having someone to talk to, Hanna?

  Hannah : I have my family. Also our Lord Jesus Christ.

  James Whale : Of course. How is the old boy these days?

• James Whale : [during lightning storm]  Perfect night for mystery and horror... The air itself is filled with monsters.

• Clayton Boone : [speaking about joining the marines]  It was a chance to be a part of something important. Something that's, that's bigger than yourself.

  James Whale : So, what happened?

  Clayton Boone : Didn't have the guts for it... Literally. My appendix *burst*... They gave me a medical discharge. And the only thing I can think is how the hell am I gonna tell my father?

  [pauses] 

  Clayton Boone : And you know what happened when I finally did tell him?

  [pauses] 

  Clayton Boone : He laughed at me.

  [pauses] 

  Clayton Boone : Well, that's the breaks, huh? So... no war stories for this pup.

  James Whale : That's where you're wrong, Clayton... You just told me one... A very good story indeed.

• James Whale : You have the most architectural... skull.