One Hour Photo (2002)

Robin Williams: Seymour Parrish

Photos 

49 more photos

Quotes 

• Sy Parrish : And if these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this... I was here. I existed. I was young. I was happy... and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture.

• Sy Parrish : [voice-over following opening interrogation room scene]  Family photos depict smiling faces... births, weddings, holidays... children's birthday parties. People take pictures of the happy moments in their lives. Someone looking through our photo album would conclude that we had led a joyous, leisurely existence... free of tragedy. No one ever takes a photograph of something they want to forget.

• [Quoting Deepak Chopra] 

  Sy Parrish : The things we fear the most have already happened to us.

• Sy Parrish : Most people don't take snapshots of the little things... the used Band-Aid... the guy at the gas station... the wasp on the Jell-O... . but these are the things that make up the true picture of our lives. People don't take pictures of these things.

• Sy Parrish : The shutter is clicked... the flash goes off... and they've stopped time... if just for the blink of an eye.

• Bill Owens : Look, Sy, I've got a family. I'm not losing my job over this. I'm lettin' you go.

  Sy Parrish : No. Oh.

  Bill Owens : These log discrepancies would be enough... but you've been spacing out on the job... taking 90-minute lunch breaks... creating scenes in front of the customers... giving away free merchandise.

  Sy Parrish : What?

  Bill Owens : Free disposable cameras to customers on their birthday? That must have been your bright idea. Sure as shit isn't company policy.

  Sy Parrish : You can't do this.

  Bill Owens : It's done, Sy. I talked to Sims at district. Now you finish out the week and clear out your locker. And if you do something like fuck up today's prints...

  Sy Parrish : I haven't fucked up a customer's prints in 11 years.

• Sy Parrish : [voiceover]  I've been doing P.O.S. mini-lab work for more than 20 years now. I consider it an important job. When people's houses are on fire... what's the first thing they save after their pets and loved ones are safe? The family photos. Some people think that this is a job for a clerk. They actually believe that any idiot that attends a 2-day seminar can master the art of making beautiful prints in less than an hour. But of course, like most things... there's far more to it than meets the eye. I've seen prints they fob off on people at the Rexall or Fotek. Milky, washed-out prints. Too dark prints. There's no sense of reverence for the service they're providing for people. I process these photos as if they were my own.

• Sy Parrish : Detective, are you a family man?

  Detective James Van Der Zee : That's none of your business, Sy.

  Sy Parrish : Sir, you're right, it isn't. It's none of my business. But I'm guessing by your answer and that ring on your finger that you are... and that makes you a fortunate man. I can also tell be the way you've treated me so far and the way you carry out your job, you're a good man... good husband and father.. a man who appreciates his good fortune. You're not the type of father who'd cheat on his wife... hurt his family, betray their trust.

  [pause] 

  Sy Parrish : You would never neglect or abuse your children.

  [chokes up] 

  Sy Parrish : Make horrible demands of your children. You would never ask... you would never ask your children to do things... things that children shouldn't do.

  [crying] 

  Sy Parrish : You would never take disgusting, sick... degrading pictures of your children d--doing these things.

  [implying that Sy was molested by his parents as a child and it was photographed] 

  Sy Parrish : You would never treat your children like animals.

  [calms down a little] 

  Sy Parrish : Will Yorkin had it all, and he threw it away. He is not a good father.

  Detective James Van Der Zee : Well, I, uh... I think I understand now, Sy. Thank you for answering my question so candidly.

  Sy Parrish : You're welcome. Can I have my pictures now?

  Detective James Van Der Zee : Sure, Sy.

  Sy Parrish : Thank you.

• Nina Yorkin : You've been doing my pictures for a long time.

  Sy Parrish : You know, I almost feel like "Uncle Sy."

• Bill Owens : Sy, there's a thousand other places where you could do your photos. There's no reason to come all the way down other than to fuck with me.

  Sy Parrish : There's a very good reason. I calibrated that machine personally. It's the best mini-lab in the state.

• Sy Parrish : Pretend. This is all pretend.

• [while spying on the Yorkins] 

  Sy Parrish : What the hell's wrong with these people?

• Sy Parrish : I just took pictures.

• Sy Parrish : Neon Genesis Evangelion.

• Sy Parrish : According to The Oxford English Dictionary, the word "snapshot" was first used in 1808 by an English sportsman by the name of Sir Andrew Hawker. He noted in his diary that almost every bird he shot that day was taken by a snapshot... meaning a hurried shot taken without deliberate aim. Snapshot, then... was originally a hunting term.

• Sy Parrish : Leica Mini-Lux. That's a very nice camera.

  Nina Yorkin : Really? Because Will's been trying to get me to go digital...

  Sy Parrish : Oh, don't do that. I'd be out of a job.

  [laughs nervously] 

• Sy Parrish : Am I talking to a brick wall? Did I tell you to touch her?

  Will Yorkin : No.

  Sy Parrish : I don't want you to touch her. If you touch her again, I stab you in the heart.

• Sy Parrish : New parents go photo crazy.

• Detective James Van Der Zee : [Sy sits alone handcuffed in a sterile police interrogation room, door buzzes and Van Der Zee walks in]  We processed the roll of film we found in your bag, Mr. Parrish. They're not very pretty pictures. Also, you left the camera in the hotel. We processed that roll as well.

  Sy Parrish : Can I see them?

  Detective James Van Der Zee : That's not a courtesy, Mr. Parrish. This is evidence.

  Sy Parrish : Do you guys have your own lab... or do you have to send it out?

  Detective James Van Der Zee : We have a lab.

  [pauses] 

  Detective James Van Der Zee : Your legal aide should be here within 30 minutes or so. Now you understand you don't have to talk to me until she gets here if you don't want to. You know that, Sy?

  [Sy nods and affirms] 

  Detective James Van Der Zee : Good. Sy, can I ask you one question?

  Sy Parrish : Sure.

  Detective James Van Der Zee : What was it about William Yorkin that upset you so? I mean, what did he do to provoke all of this?

• Larry - Repairman : [angry about Sy's banal reason for a service call]  Sy, are you kiddin' me?

  [slams door shut on mini-lab machine] 

  Sy Parrish : What?

  Larry - Repairman : I got 3 of these fuckin' machines down today. I've got to be in Heber Springs by 3:00.

  [prepares to leave] 

  Sy Parrish : Larry, all I'm asking you to do is look at these prints.

  [shows photos] 

  Larry - Repairman : Plus point 3? Sy, are you fuckin' kiddin' me? Point 3? Nobody gives a shit until those shifts are in the double digits.

  Sy Parrish : It's blue, Larry.

  [Larry heads for the door] 

  Sy Parrish : Well, I bet Brandt cares about a plus point 3.

  Larry - Repairman : Are you fuckin' threatening me? You're breakin' my balls over a plus 3 blue shift.

  [turns away] 

  Larry - Repairman : Fuckin' asshole.

  [to Sy again] 

  Larry - Repairman : Next time you call me out here... that thing better be belching fire.

  Sy Parrish : [shouting facetiously behind him on the sales floor]  That's a great attitude, Larry. Thanks for your precision work.

• Sy Parrish : Now... put his thing in your mouth.