The Forsyte Saga (2002–2003)

Damian Lewis: Soames Forsyte

Photos 

Quotes 

• Soames Forsyte : You know nothing about it. Your friendship with her was a sham!

  June : Yes! She stole the love of my life, my future. I should hate her but the alternative was you. I cannot hate her. I can only wonder why she did not do it sooner.

• Emily : The last time I saw that expression on your face, you were Val's age.

  Soames Forsyte : Mother!

  Emily : You pestered us for months for that kitten. What was it? Six weeks old? You dressed it like a doll, fed it until it was sick, and smothered it.

  Soames Forsyte : I loved it!

  Emily : That's what I thought. I should have whipped you. I should have taught you not to love like that. With all your heart.

  Soames Forsyte : Mama...

  Emily : Yes, it was my fault. You feel things too much. You always have.

• Soames Forsyte : It seems we only ever meet at funerals.

  June : Mercifully.

• Fleur Forsyte : I don't want to hear about her!

  Soames Forsyte : I'll tell you anyway, shall I? The great sin your father committed? Then you can write me off altogether.

  Fleur Forsyte : I said, I don't want to hear!

  Soames Forsyte : I married her because I loved her! Very simple. It's why Michael's marrying you. She abused my trust; she denied me my rights as a husband. She ignored me. She flaunted her lover in my face. She locked me out of her life, her body...

  Fleur Forsyte : Please!

  Soames Forsyte : One night, her door was open, and she was lying there, looking very beautiful. She is very beautiful, don't you think? I whispered her name, but she was asleep.

  Fleur Forsyte : Stop!

  Soames Forsyte : I must have been mad. I think I was; Mad for her. So I took her, forcibly... as punishment! And now when I see her, whenever she looks at me, I know she's thinking only of that.

  [breaks down in tears] 

• [after their daughter is born] 

  Annette Forsyte : Ma petite fleur.

  Soames Forsyte : Fleur. We'll call her Fleur.

• Soames Forsyte : Miss Heron, will you be mine?

  Irene Forsyte : I will marry you, Mr Forsyte.

• Irene Forsyte née Heron : If I were to marry you, Mr. Forsyte, would you promise me one thing?

  [long pause] 

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : If our marriage is not a success, then I shall be as free as if I had never married you?

  Soames Forsyte : If we were to marry, then it would be a success.

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : You would not hold me in a marriage that was not happy?

  Soames Forsyte : Miss Heron, Irene, I promise I would make you happy.

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : You must promise I would be free.

  Soames Forsyte : Then I do.

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : You swear it?

  Soames Forsyte : I do solemnly swear it.

• Soames Forsyte : You are my wife!

• [refering to Irene] 

  Soames Forsyte : She is mine!

• Jolyon : [at Robin Hill]  Would you like to see the house?

  Soames Forsyte : I've seen it.

• Soames Forsyte : It's far better to be with someone who loves you more than you love them. There's nothing worse than always trying to please someone; hoping they'll look at you, smile at you...

• Soames Forsyte : [to Irene]  What I meant to say is that all that might have been saved if only you have done your duty, be a wife to me! That's all I wanted! All I ever wanted!... You're so cold! Made of stone! Always made of stone!

• June : Come to pay your last respects?

  Soames Forsyte : Your guests are waiting.

  June : I'll introduce you: Mr. and Mrs. Baines, meet the man who killed your nephew!

• Soames Forsyte : I can't abide foreigners!

  Annette Forsyte née Lamotte : Then why did you marry one?

• Soames Forsyte : I should have brought a horse whip!

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : What do you want?

  Soames Forsyte : I am here to tell you that unless you swear to keep clear of each other I shall divorce her with every circumstance and degradation to you both. Will you swear it? Will you keep away from her?

  Jolyon : No.

  Soames Forsyte : Your name will be dirt.

  Jolyon : So be it.

  Soames Forsyte : What about you? Will you swear it?

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : No.

  Soames Forsyte : I have enought evidence, you know. You have been watched, everywhere. You've been watched. And it won't just be desertion. You know what I am saying.

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : Yes.

  Soames Forsyte : And it doesn't worry you?

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : Please, go.

  Soames Forsyte : Adulteress! That term fits, does it not?

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : Yes.

  Soames Forsyte : You have...?

  Irene Forsyte née Heron : Yes.

  Soames Forsyte : You're a devil. And you, an imbeseler of trust property, a thief stealing his cousin's wife!

  Jolyon : Go!

  Soames Forsyte : You'll pay for it.

  Jolyon : I shall be very happy.

  Soames Forsyte : I hope you treat him as you treated me.

• Annette Forsyte née Lamotte : Michael's staying for lunch.

  Soames Forsyte : Does she like him?

  Annette Forsyte née Lamotte : Fleur?

  Soames Forsyte : Of course, Fleur!

  Annette Forsyte née Lamotte : I haven't asked her.

  Soames Forsyte : Usually she'd have told me. Until this summer... This boy! I've done nothing wrong!

  Annette Forsyte née Lamotte : This boy, Jon Forsyte, he hurt her. She's angry.

  Soames Forsyte : Why with me?

  Annette Forsyte née Lamotte : Because she can be.

• Soames Forsyte : My whole life, I have dedicated to you - to making you happy!

  Fleur Forsyte : But you got it wrong, didn't you? You thought I cared about dresses and frippery. I'd have married Jon in my underclothes, and because of you - YOU! - he stopped loving me. The one thing I really wanted!