Fawlty Towers (TV Series)

Communication Problems (1979)

Prunella Scales: Sybil Fawlty

Photos 

Quotes 

• Sybil Fawlty : You seem very jolly, Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : Hm?

  Sybil Fawlty : You seem very jolly.

  Basil Fawlty : Jolly?

  Sybil Fawlty : Yes, jolly. Sort of happy.

  Basil Fawlty : [with feigned reminiscence]  Oh, happy. Yes, I remember that. No, not that I noticed, dear. Well, I'll report it if it happens, though.

  Sybil Fawlty : Well, you look happy to me, Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : No, I'm not, dear.

  Sybil Fawlty : All that dancing about, singing and rubbing your hands.

  Basil Fawlty : No, just my way of getting through the day, dear. The, uh, Samaritans were engaged.

• Sybil Fawlty : [calling to Mrs. Richards as she to her room after being injured]  Are you sure you can manage?

  Basil Fawlty : And if you give us any more trouble, I shall visit you in the small hours and put a bat up your nightdress.

  Sybil Fawlty : Basil!

  Basil Fawlty : Well, that was fun, wasn't it dear, the odd moment like that? It's almost worth staying alive for, isn't it? It's nice to share a moment like that, isn't it, dear? It's what marriage is all about. I know - I read it on the back of a matchbox.

  Sybil Fawlty : [annoyed]  Basil, sometimes...

  Basil Fawlty : [putting an arm around Sybil]  Seriously, Sybil, do you remember, when we were first manacled together, we used to laugh quite a lot?

  Sybil Fawlty : [she pushes him off and exits]  Yes, but not at the same time, Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : [to himself]  Ah, that's true. That was a warning all right, I guess? Should have spotted that, shouldn't I? Zhoom! What was that? That was your life, Mate! Oh, that was quick. Do I get another? Sorry, Mate. That's your lot.

  Sybil Fawlty : [returning]  Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : [to himself]  Back to the world of dreams.

  Basil Fawlty : [to Sybil]  Yes, dear?

• Major Gowen : Going to have a flutter, Fawlty?

  Basil Fawlty : No. No, no, no, no, no.

  Sybil Fawlty : No, Basil doesn't bet anymore. Do you, dear?

  Basil Fawlty : No, I don't, dear, no. No, that particular avenue of pleasure has been closed off.

  Sybil Fawlty : And we don't want it opened up again, do we Basil?

  Basil Fawlty : No, YOU don't, dear.

• Sybil Fawlty : If I find out the money on that horse was yours, you know what I'll do, Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : You'll have to sew 'em back on first.

• [Basil is mouthing words to Mrs. Richards, so she is forced to turn up her hearing aid as high as it will go] 

  Sybil Fawlty : [quietly]  Basil, don't! Don't!

  [Basil is still mouthing words] 

  Mrs. Richards : Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I haven't got it turned up enough.

  Sybil Fawlty : [shouting]  Basil!

  Basil Fawlty : [at full volume now, right into Mrs. Richards' face]  I SAID... WE SHOULD GO...!

  Mrs. Richards : [jumps back with a shock, hitting her head on the shelf]  Oh! Oh, my head! My head!

  Basil Fawlty : Has it come away?

  Mrs. Richards : Oh!

  Sybil Fawlty : [to Mrs. Richards as she elbows Basil]  Did you bang your head?

  Mrs. Richards : Yes, yes!

  Sybil Fawlty : Oh dear, let me have a look.

  Basil Fawlty : You'd better go and lie down before something ELSE happens.

  Sybil Fawlty : Shut up, Basil!

  Mrs. Richards : Why don't you call the police?

  Sybil Fawlty : Well, we will, the moment we've searched the rooms.

  Mrs. Richards : [as she exits]  My money's been taken!

  Sybil Fawlty : Yes, yes, I know. Try not to speak.

  Basil Fawlty : [picking up a particle]  Is this a piece of your brain?

  Sybil Fawlty : [kicks Basil in the shin; he sinks into chair]  Shut up, Basil.

  Mrs. Richards : Eighty-five pounds.

  Sybil Fawlty : [to Mrs. Richards]  Take my arm.

  Mrs. Richards : I don't need your arm, thank you. I can get down the stairs perfectly all right by myself.

  Basil Fawlty : "Down" the stairs? Oh, well, don't stop when you get to the basement. Keep straight on... give my regards to the earth's core!

• Sybil Fawlty : [Basil won some money on a horse and he doesn't want Sybil to know because she's very against gambling so Polly is pretending it's her winnings]  Polly?

  Polly : Yes, Mrs Fawlty?

  Sybil Fawlty : What was the name of the horse?

  Polly : The name?

  [Basil, overhearing this quietly comes running into the dining-room] 

  Polly : I've gone blank.

  [Basil frantically tries miming the answer by flapping his arms] 

  Polly : Birdbrain.

  [Basil nods no] 

  Polly : No, no. That came in third. Uh...

  [Basil points at Sybil] 

  Polly : Fishwife.

  Sybil Fawlty : What?

  Polly : [Basil tries pointing at his zipper]  Fly! Fly!

  [Basil points at Sybil again] 

  Polly : Flying tart!

  [another wrong answer] 

  Polly : No, no. It got off to a flying start and it's name... was dragonfly.

  [Basil hightails it] 

• Sybil Fawlty : Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : [to Manuel]  So don't do it again.

  [to Sybil] 

  Basil Fawlty : Yes, dear?

  Sybil Fawlty : It's Mrs Richards.

  Basil Fawlty : A fatal accident?

  Sybil Fawlty : She's had some money stolen.

• Sybil Fawlty : If I find out the money on that horse was yours... you know what I'll do, Basil.

  Basil Fawlty : You'd have to sew 'em back on first.

• Sybil Fawlty : If I find out the money on that horse was yours... you know what I'll do, Basil

  [walks away] 

  Basil Fawlty : You'd have to sew 'em back on first.