Belfast (2021)

Caitríona Balfe: Ma

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Ma : Why did you take that washing powder?

  Buddy : It's biological.

• Ma : [sitting with family in movie theater watching buxom women in skimpy prehistoric garb]  No wonder you brought us to this.

  Pa : It's educational for the boys.

  Ma : Aye. Raquel Welch is a hell of an education.

• Buddy : I've had too much God for one day.

  Ma : Your granny says you can never have too much God, you might need him before too long.

• Ma : We can't all leave. There'd be nobody left but the nutters.

  Auntie Violet : Aye, and nobody to cook their tea, run messages and wipe their arses. That'd make the violence stop in about ten minutes.

  Ma : How could I leave Belfast?

  Auntie Violet : I wouldn't worry about it. The Irish were born for leaving. Otherwise, the rest of the world would have no pubs. It just needs half of us to stay, so that the other half can get sentimental about the ones that went. All the Irish need to survive is a phone, a Guinness and the sheet music to Danny Boy.

• Ma : You and me, we've known each other since we were toddlers. We've known this street and every street round it all our lives. And every man, woman and child that lives in every bloody house, whether we like it or not. I like it. And you say you've a wee garden for them boys? But here, they can play wherever the hell they like, 'cause everybody knows them, everybody likes them and everybody looks after them. If we go over the water, them people's not gonna understand a word we say. And half of them, they'll take the hand out of us for sounding different. And the other half, they'll hate us 'cause men here are killing their young sons on our streets. They'll think we don't give a shite. And you think they're gonna welcome us with open arms? What, and say, 'Come on in. Well done for stealing the house off of us'?

  Pa : Things change.

  Ma : Aye. They do.

• Granny : Them peoples don't give you any bother in that street, do they?

  Ma : Not at all. Sure, they're friends, they're family, same as us. They just kick with the left foot.

• Ma : Put it back I said.

  Billy Clanton : Hey, woman! We don't put things back. That's not the statement we're trying to make.

• Pa : We could take trips back.

  Ma : And pay for it with what, Scotch mist?

• Pa : Whoo. You like that? How's that, then, Ginger Rogers, huh?

  Ma : Whoo. Come on you, Fred Astaire.

• Ma : Behave yourself. Don't be annoying your Pop. Don't be asking for any Christmas presents. He's no money, either. Taxman's got it, like ours.

  Pop : Ach, don't worry. Your Mammy will persuade Santa to bring some presents.

  Buddy : Ach. Don't think so, Pop. I always know when there's no money.

• Pa : You know, whatever happens, what you've done with these two, it's phenomenal.

  Ma : What are you talking about?

  Pa : You raised them. Not me. Not us. You.

• Ma : I didn't come up the loch in a bubble.

• Buddy : Daddy, are you not gonna be a vigilante on our barricade?

  Pa : No more talk about bloody barricades. That whole nonsense will stop soon enough.

  Ma : I wouldn't be too sure about that.

  Pa : Hey, less of the long face, son. These two can go and pray for it to stop now, and we'll all go to the big picture house in town tomorrow, Daddy will pick the film, and we'll forget about this whole bunch of eejits before I have to go back to work.

• Pa : This is the time to think about making a new start.

  Ma : I know nothing else but Belfast.

  Pa : Exactly. There's a whole world out there. We can give these boys a better chance than we ever had. There's Commonwealth countries needing tradesmen. The government will give you assisted passage. We can get the whole family to the other side of the world for ten pound. We're living in a civil war.

• Ma : You bugger! Oh, you're a lying bugger!

  Pa : Aye, that's right, believe the taxman before you believe me!

  Ma : 'Cause I know you!

• Ma : I caught sight of my face in that shop window when I was running down the street and dragging them poor kids behind me. And I was looking in the mirror just now - at that same face - and I asked myself, "What the hell am I doing?"

• Pa : Kids the same age as ours are getting killed around the corner.

  Ma : Well, we'll be careful.

  Pa : You can't be with them 24 hours a day. You can't take away their childhood, either.

• Pa : Look, mind your nonsense for now, and I'll take youse all to the pictures tomorrow.

  Buddy : Brilliant! Robin and the 7 Hoods is on in the afternoon at the Capitol. Paddy saw it.

  Ma : Wait, is that gangsters?

  Will : It's a blinking musical.

  Buddy : No, it's not. There's Little John and swords and everything.