The Painted Veil (2006)

Edward Norton: Walter Fane

Photos 

Quotes 

• Walter Fane : It was silly of us to look for qualities in each other that we never had.

• Kitty Fane : For God's sake, Walter, will you stop punishing me? Do you absolutely despise me?

  Walter Fane : No. I despise myself.

  Kitty Fane : Why?

  Walter Fane : For allowing myself to love you once.

  [Walter turns away and Kitty leaves the room and closes the door. As he approaches the door she can be heard sobbing in the other room] 

• Kitty Fane : Walter, stop. I'm pregnant.

  Walter Fane : A baby?

  [while Walter begins to look elated, Kitty looks terrified] 

  Walter Fane : You're quite certain?

  Kitty Fane : Yes.

  Walter Fane : Well, that's wonderful.

  [he sees the scared look on Kitty's face and the he remembers; Kitty's affair with Charlie Townsend] 

  Walter Fane : How long do you think you've been like this?

  Kitty Fane : Two months. Maybe longer.

  Walter Fane : [his expression becomes solemn]  Kitty. Am I the father?

  Kitty Fane : [crying softly]  I honestly don't know. I'm sorry.

  Walter Fane : Well... It doesn't matter now, does it?

  Kitty Fane : No. No, it doesn't.

  [Kitty throughs her arms around Walter and embraces him. He in turn hugs her back] 

• Kitty Fane : It's raining cats and dogs.

  Kitty Fane : I said it's raining cats and dogs.

  Walter Fane : Yes, I heard you.

  Kitty Fane : You might have answered.

  Walter Fane : I suppose I'm not used to speaking unless I've something to say.

  Kitty Fane : If people only spoke when they had something to say, the human race would soon lose the power of speech.

• Kitty Fane : By the way, you might be happy to know that I am just as useless to the nuns as I am to you.

  Walter Fane : I shut off the town's only water supply today.

  Kitty Fane : What will you do?

  Walter Fane : I have no idea.

  Kitty Fane : Hmm. Then I suppose we're both useless. At last, something in common.

• Walter Fane : I knew when I married you that you were selfish and spoiled. But I loved you. I knew you only married me to get as far away from your mother as possible. And I hoped that one day... there'd be something more. I was wrong. You don't have it in you.

  Kitty Fane : If a man hasn't what's necessary to make a woman love him then it's *his* fault not hers.

  Walter Fane : Either way. Tomorrow morning we are to leave for Mei-tan-fu, or I shall file my petition.

  Kitty Fane : Walter, you can't be serious about taking me into the middle of a cholera epidemic.

  Walter Fane : Do you think that I'm not?

  Kitty Fane : My God. That's what you want isn't it? Do you really think Charlie will let you do this?

  Walter Fane : I don't think Charlie has very much to say about it.

  Kitty Fane : Everything you said is true. Everything. I married you even though I didn't love you. But you knew that. Aren't you as much to blame for what's happened as I?

• Colonel Yu : I think China belongs to Chinese people, but the rest of the world seems to disagree.

  Walter Fane : Yes, but that's got nothing to do with me. I didn't come here with a gun, you know. I came here with a microscope.

• Colonel Yu : [about warlord]  He said no.

  Walter Fane : He doesn't speak any English, does he?

  Colonel Yu : [shrug] 

  Walter Fane : Tell him that's the most ridiculous suit that I've ever seen.

  Colonel Yu : This Doctor respects you greatly, and you are right. It is quite a mess, this epidemic. But my superior said if your men cannot control it, then our army will be happy to come out here and help you.

  [standing to leave] 

  Colonel Yu : After seeing this place, it's so overwhelming, I'm afraid once our soldiers are here, they won't want to leave.

• Walter Fane : Do you like flowers?

  Kitty Fane : Not particularly, no. Well, I mean yes, but we don't really have them around the house. Mother says, "Why purchase something you can grow for free?" Then, we don't really grow them either. It does silly really. To put all that effort into something that's just going to die.

• [Kitty serves herself a helping of the uncooked vegetables from the local cholera-infected crop] 

  Walter Fane : Are you looking to kill yourself?

  [Kitty eats the vegetables with a contemptous smirk. Walter then serves himself and eats his in the same manner] 

• [opening lines] 

  Walter Fane : Hello.

  Kitty Garstin : Hello.

  Walter Fane : Say, I was wondering...

  Kitty Garstin : What?

  Walter Fane : Sorry. I - I was wondering if you'd like to dance.

  Kitty Garstin : Why not?

• Walter Fane : I'd like to press on, if you don't mind.

  Kitty Fane : Surely my comforts are no concern to you.

• [last lines] 

  Walter Fane : [succumbing to Cholera]  Forgive Me

• Walter Fane : [to Kitty]  The girls named her Zan Xien. It means "brand-new." The nuns are going to call it Katherine, which, of course, none of the girls will be able to say.