Quadrophenia Quotes

Steph: Going to be one of the faces?

Jimmy: What do you mean going to be? I AM one of the faces!

Kev: I don't give a monkey's arsehole about Mods and Rockers. Underneath, we're all the same, 'n't we?

Jimmy: No, Kev, that's it. Look, I don't wanna be the same as everybody else. That's why I'm a Mod, see? I mean, you gotta be somebody, ain't ya, or you might as well jump in the sea and drown.

Kev: That's why I joined the army. To be different. To get away from all this. Don't matter where you go, there's always some cunt with stars and stripes who wants to push you about.

Kev: Hi Jim. What's the matter with you, then?

Jimmy: Well, that gear you got, it's leather.

Kev: That's it. Goes with the bike, dunnit?

Jimmy: I never realised.

Kev: You never realised what?

Jimmy: Well, you's a rocker.

Kev: What, am I black or something?

Jimmy: You ain't exactly white in that sort of get-up, are you?

Jimmy: [from the cliff top after deciding not to be a mod]

[shouts]

Jimmy: Me!

Mr. Fulford: Mr. Cale tells me that you spent the weekend in Brighton. I imagine you were involved some extent in the disturbances there?

Jimmy: Yeah, I was there.

Mr. Fulford: Weren't arrested or detained or anything like that were you?

Jimmy: No.

Mr. Fulford: I must say I find your attitude fairly incomprehensible. I feel I must warn you, Cooper, that we can't tolerate this kind of absenteeism amongst our junior staff. You've a good steady job here, Cooper. Plenty of young men would give their eye teeth to be in your shoes.

Jimmy: Yeah? Well, find one, then!

Mr. Fulford: I beg your pardon?

Jimmy: You heard. I said find one, then! Yeah, I'll tell you what you can do with your eye teeth and your job, you can take that mail and that franking machine and all that other rubbish I have to go about with and you can stuff 'em right up your arse!

Magistrate: It seems strange to see this procession of miserable specimens. So different from the strutting hooligans of yesterday, who came here to pollute the air of this town. Yes. These long-haired, mentally unstable, petty little hoodlums. These sawdust Caesars, who can only find courage, like rats, by hunting in packs, came to Brighton with the avowed intent of interfering with the life and property of its inhabitants. And so far as the law gives us power, this court will not fail to use the prescribed penalties. It may perhaps discourage you, and others of your kidney who are infected with this vicious virus, that you be ordered to pay a fine of 75 pounds.

Ace Face: I'll pay now if you don't mind. You haven't got a pen, have you, Your Honour?

Chalky: [Standing outside a tenement building occupied by West Indian families] This place gives me the shits, bloody nig-nogs everywhere. It's like bleedin' Calcutta around here.

Dave: Calcutta's in India.

Chalky: Yeah, West India; it's where they bleedin' come from, ain't it?

Ferdy: They're pretty scarce right now, you know. I mean, I had to go over the water to get these.

Jimmy: Oh? You got on a banana boat back to Jamaica, did you?

Ferdy: No, Brixton.

Jimmy: All right. All right. How much?

Ferdy: A quid.

Jimmy: You're a fuckin' liberty taker.

Jimmy: You and Pete getting a bit strong, then?

Steph: Nah, 'course not. He's a laugh, that's all.

Jimmy: Bit flash, though, ain't he?

Steph: I wouldn't be with him otherwise, would I?

Father: What's this rubbish, then?

Jimmy: [watching The Who on TV] Ready Steady Go!

Father: Ready what?

Jimmy: Ready Steady Go!

Father: Ready Steady Go? Bunch of louts. Bloody moron. I suppose they wear wet jeans n'all, do they? Hey? What? What? Is that how you're supposed to play a guitar now, then? Hey? Oh, gawd help us. Here, have you seen this?

Mother: I haven't got time for all that rubbish.

Father: I can sing better than that little ape. You call that singing? Sounds like a drowned dog. That'll make you deaf, you know.

Steph: So, when did you get down here?

Jimmy: About half an hour ago. We left this morning, before it was light.

Steph: What was it like?

Jimmy: Well, it was dark, wasn't it, eh?

Dave: You're fucking mad, you are, getting chucked out. You should have stayed around. You would've been well in.

Jimmy: What d'you mean?

Dave: She was all on her Jack Jones, wasn't she?

Jimmy: Steph?

Dave: Yeah. Fucking Fenton gets off with this beatnik chick. And she's all on her own, ain't she. Well, I'll tell you, I would've been up her like a fuckin' ferret. Well, if I hadn't know that you and her were so...

Jimmy: So what? I ain't gone on her, you know.

Dave: Leave it out, everybody knows you fancy her. I reckon she's a right good bunk-up, lads.

Jimmy: Oh, you animal!

Mother: Drugs and filthy pictures! Running riot everywhere! You're a little animal, you are. You wanna be locked up! I've done my best, look what I've got for it! A bloody mad thing! You're a little savage! Get out of my house! Go on! Get out!

Jimmy: All right.

Mother: You're no son of mine!

Jimmy: Nothing seems right, apart from Brighton. I mean, Brighton was OK. Going to court with the Ace and that. And, like, I was a mod there, you know? I mean that's something, innit, eh?

Steph: Oh, what are you talkin' about? Brighton was a laugh. That's why we went down. It was a giggle, that's all.

Jimmy: Oh, yeah? And me and you, then? Was that just a giggle?

Steph: Oh, what do you think? All right, so I fancied you. We had it off together. But that don't mean nothin', does it?

Jimmy: It did to fuckin' me!