Jean Simmons: Grandma Sophie

Howl's Moving Castle

Grandma Sophie

[Howl comes running out of the bathroom, screaming. His hair is now orange]
Howl: Sophie! You, you sabotaged me! Look! Look at what you've done to my hair! Look!
Old Sophie: What a pretty color.
Howl: It's hideous! You completely ruined my magic potions in the bathroom!
Old Sophie: I just organized things, Howl. Nothing's ruined.
Howl: Wrong! Wrong! I specifically ordered you not to get carried away!
[tragically]
Howl: Now I'm repulsive.
[slumps into a chair]
Howl: I can't live like this.
[starts sobbing, head in hands]
Old Sophie: Come on, it's not that bad.
[Howl's hair changes color to purple, then black]
Old Sophie: You should look at it now, its shade is even better.
Howl: [inconsolable] I give up. I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful.

Young Sophie: So you are going away. Please, Howl. I know I can be of help to you, even though I'm not pretty and all I'm good at is cleaning.
Howl: Sophie! Sophie! You're beautiful!
Old Sophie: Well, the nice thing about being old is you've got nothing much to lose.

Old Sophie: I wonder what Howl disguised himself as? Surely not a crow. Can't be a pigeon, he's too flamboyant for that.
[a glider plane with a giggling young woman and her lover flies overhead]
Old Sophie: That could be him.

Old Sophie: When you're old, all you want to do is stare at the scenery. It's so strange. I've never felt so peaceful before.

Old Sophie: It was a pleasure meeting you, even if you are my least favorite vegetable! Take care, Turniphead!

Howl: The Witch of the Waste and Madame Suliman's dog at my table? What possessed you to let them in my house?
Calcifer: I didn't let them in here! Sophie crash landed her plane into my face!
Howl: [laughs]
Old Sophie: Hmph!
Howl: I knew she'd make a great pilot!

Howl: [Quietly amused] Calcifer? You're being so obedient.
Calcifer: Not on purpose! She bullied me!
Howl: Not just anybody can do that.
[Looks at Sophie]
Howl: And you are... who?
Old Sophie: Er, you can just call me Grandma Sophie. I'm your new cleaning lady. I just started work today.

Old Sophie: Why do you get so cold when you're old? I'm fatter than ever and yet the wind blows right through me!

Howl: So what do you have in your pocket, Sophie?
Old Sophie: Huh?
[Finds a folded piece of paper]
Old Sophie: What is this?
Howl: Give it to me.
[paper burns leaving marks on the table]
Markl: Scorch marks! Howl, can you read them?
Howl: That is ancient sorcery, and quite powerful too.
Markl: Is it from the Witch of the Waste?
Howl: "You who swallowed a falling star, o' heartless man, your heart shall soon be mine." That can't be good for the table.
[covers the marks with his hand]
Markl: Wow! It's gone!
Howl: The mark may be gone, but the spell is still there.

Old Sophie: I can't do this! Why'd you make me come here if you were coming yourself?
Howl: Knowing you'd be there gave me the courage to show up. That woman terrifies me. I can't face her on my own. You saved me, Sophie. I was in big trouble back there.

Old Sophie: Howl, why is the Witch of the Wastes trying to hunt you down?
Howl: She was once quite beautiful, so I decided to pursue her, then I realized she wasn't, so then, as usual, I ran away.

Old Sophie: Do you know what Madame Suliman said? She said that Howl's heart was stolen by a demon. Tell me now, what do you know?
Calcifer: I'm so sorry but that would be confidential information.

Howl: The Witch of the Wastes is trying to find my castle.
Old Sophie: Ah, I saw her henchmen at the harbor.
Howl: I'm such a big coward, all I do is hide. All of this magic is to keep everybody away. I can't stand how scared I am.

Howl: I've got it! Why don't you go to the palace for me?
Old Sophie: Huh?
Howl: Just say that you're Pendragon's mother and that your son is such a cowardly wizard he's too afraid to show his face. Maybe then Madame Suliman will finally give up on me.