Five Children and It (2004)
Freddie Highmore: Robert
Photos
Quotes
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Mother : Robert! Robert, wait! Now, Uncle Albert will meet you at the station.
Robert : Do you think he'll have model planes? Fighters, like the ones Dad will be flying?
Mother : I'm not sure, dear, but he does have a son called Horace who's about your age. He might.
Father : Cyril, you're in charge now. Children, you're all to listen to Cyril while we're away.
Robert : Why is he in charge? You're not in charge of me!
Cyril : Robert, I am.
Robert : Dad, is there any way I can come with you?
Father : Robert, who is the most important member of any mission?
Robert : You are. The pilot.
Father : No, it's the navigator. A pilot would be lost without one. Your mum and I need you to keep everyone on course.
Robert : You can count on me.
Father : [hands him a compass] So you always know where to find me.
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Cyril : Uncle, It's me, Cyril. You came to my eighth birthday party. You gave me a subscription to Algebra Monthly.
Uncle Albert : Cyril? Cyril! No, Cyril was a much smaller boy.
Cyril : But that was five years ago.
Uncle Albert : Was it? Well, err... I should think he'd be about your age by now.
[laughs]
Uncle Albert : I wonder what he's doing.
Robert : I can eat a whole goose by myself.
Uncle Albert : Well, if it is Friday as you assert, then goose was yesterday so you'll have to wait till err... next Thursday.
Robert : But there is a goose in the oven, and today is Friday!
Uncle Albert : Ah, well, Martha. Looks like Thursday's gone missing with last October.
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Uncle Albert : Rule Three: Laundry three times a week. Very important, you know. The British Empire was built on clean pants. Clean pants and...
Horace : Mint sauce?
Uncle Albert : Don't be ridiculous, Horace. Rule four: Never, ever go into... the greenhouse.
Robert : The greenhouse.
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Cyril : Robert, wait, where are you going?
Robert : Here's a clue. It rhymes with hand hairy.
Cyril : No way, we're not going back. You saw all the trouble that wish got us into.
Robert : Oh look, this must be the pole that's been sticking up Cyril's ...
Cyril : Back off! You can insult me all you like, but ...
Robert : Thanks, but I'll save that for later. I'm going, whether you're coming or not.
Jane : Hand hairy? Sand fairy!
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Psammead : Were the vases smashed to smithereens?
Jane : Yes.
Psammead : Add the floor flooded and dictionaries drenched?
Cyril : They were.
Psammead : And the house burned to the ground?
Robert : No.
Psammead : House didn't burn to the ground? I'd say you got off pretty lightly then, all things considered.
Robert : Not so fast, Sand Fairy!
Cyril : You made them ruin the house on purpose, didn't you?
Psammead : Look, it's not me, it's the rules. You make a wish, it goes horribly wrong, and then you learn something valuable.
Robert : That's terrible. I don't need to learn anything!
Psammead : Of course, everything is back to normal by sunset.
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Anthea : Oh my gosh, I've got wings!
Jane : So soft, so white...
Cyril : The little - He must've made a wish! He's out of control. I don't know how I'm gonna cut it. What am I gonna tell Mum? Look at you!
Robert : Cyril!
Cyril : You've done it again. What were you thinking?
Robert : I'm going to France to see Dad!
Cyril : France?
Robert : His letter said he wished he could fly to see us. He can't, but we can fly to him. Come on!
Cyril : Robert, wait!
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Jane : Mummy, I can't believe you're home!
Robert : Mum, we didn't know you were coming!
Jane : Did you get my letter?
Mother : Yes, I did, precious.
Cyril : Something's wrong.
Mother : It's your father.
Robert : Is he here?
Mother : No, Robert. His plane went down behind enemy lines several days ago. He's missing.
Robert : No!
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Robert : Sand Fairy, I need this wish.
Psammead : If you wait, I can grant you a wish when dawn comes, but not before.
Robert : But you'll do it?
Psammead : Yes, but child, what then? The wish will fade at sunset, you know that.
Robert : Maybe this wish won't fade.
Psammead : You know it will.
Robert : What's the point in wishes that don't last?
Psammead : Magic. Faith. That is nature. I can show you the way, but in the end, it is up to you.
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[first lines]
Robert : It was the Summer of nineteen seventeen and the world was at war. Like lots of children, we had to leave our home. - Leave London. We didn't want to go, but Dad went to fly planes, and Mum went to look after the wounded, and we were stuck. They insisted we go to the country, to stay with mad Uncle Albert and our cousin Horace.
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Martha : These are the children I was telling you about. Your nephews and nieces.
Uncle Albert : Impossible. They're not due 'till Friday. Isn't that right, Horace
Horace : Yes, Father. Not due 'till Friday.
Robert : Today is Friday.
Uncle Albert : Can't be.
[sniffs]
Uncle Albert : Smell that. That's Thursday.
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Robert : [Jane is playing her violin] I knew I should have hid that thing back at home. Oh, no. There must be a wounded cat in the room. Jane, put that thing down and help me look. Here, Kitty, Kitty.
Cyril : Take that back.
Robert : You can't tell me what to do!
Cyril : I can and you jolly well know it.
Robert : I hate it here!
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Robert : [walking into the Greenhouse] Now, did Martha say that we were not to go in here, or that we were not to miss going in here. She wasn't very clear. Grapes!
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Psammead : Stay back!
Cyril : [to Robert] You have to stop talking to it. It could be dangerous.
Anthea : I bet it has huge fangs and poisonous saliva.
Robert : It's an ugly little monster.
Psammead : "It"? "It"? "It"? Do you mean to tell me that you do not know what a Psammead is?
Robert : You're a what?
Psammead : I am a Psammead crustacea decapodlium wishasaurus. Got it?
Robert : No.
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Robert : Horace, it's time we got to know one another.
Horace : No, it isn't.
Robert : I used to think that myself, but here we are. I'll start.
[walking into the basement]
Robert : Oh, great. Just what my day was missing. A tour of a dark smelly basement.
Horace : This is where I keep my monster collection.
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Robert : [to Cyril] There's no need to rush. Enjoy. Savor the sum. Let it wash over you. And once you gain its trust, it's yours for life.