The Birds (1963)

Jessica Tandy: Lydia Brenner

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Cathy Brenner : [while Melanie is playing the piano]  I still don't understand how you knew I wanted lovebirds.

  Melanie Daniels : Your brother told me.

  Lydia Brenner : Then you knew Mitch in San Francisco. Is that right?

  Melanie Daniels : No, not exactly.

  [grabs a cigarette out of an ashtray] 

  Cathy Brenner : Mitch knows a lot of people in San Francisco. Of course, they're mostly hoods.

  Lydia Brenner : Cathy!

  Cathy Brenner : Well, Mom, he's the first to admit it. He spends half his day in the detention cells at the Hall of Justice.

  Lydia Brenner : In a democracy, Cathy, everyone is entitled to a fair trial. Your brother's practice...

  Cathy Brenner : Aw, Mom, please. I know all that democracy jazz. They're still hoods.

  [Mitch comes in] 

  Cathy Brenner : He has a client now who shot his wife in the head six times. Six times! Can you imagine it? I mean, even twice would be overdoing it, don't you think?

  Melanie Daniels : [to Mitch]  Why did he shoot her?

  Mitch Brenner : He was watching a ball game on television.

  Melanie Daniels : What?

  Mitch Brenner : His wife changed the channel.

  [laughs and leaves] 

  Cathy Brenner : Are you coming to my party tomorrow?

  Melanie Daniels : I don't think so. I have to get back to San Francisco.

  Cathy Brenner : Don't you like us?

  Melanie Daniels : Oh, darling, of course I do.

  Cathy Brenner : Don't you like Bodega Bay?

  Melanie Daniels : I don't know yet.

  Cathy Brenner : Mitch likes it very much. He comes up every weekend, you know, even though he has his own apartment in the city. He says that San Francisco's like an anthill up the foot of a bridge.

  Melanie Daniels : Well, I suppose it does get a little hectic at times.

  Cathy Brenner : Well, if you do decide to come, don't say I told you about it. It's suppose to be a suprise party. You see, they've got this whole complicated thing figured out, where I'm going to Michele's for the afternoon, and Michele's mother will say she has a headache. Would I mind very much if she took me home. And when I get here, all the kids'll jump out! Oh, won't you come. Won't you please come?

  Melanie Daniels : I don't think so.

• Cathy Brenner : Mitch, can I bring the lovebirds in here?

  Lydia Brenner : No!

  Cathy Brenner : But Mom, they're in a cage.

  Lydia Brenner : They're birds, aren't they?

• Lydia Brenner : I wish I were a stronger person. I lost my husband four years ago, you know. It's terrible how you depend on someone else for strength and then - suddenly all the strength is gone, and you're alone. I'd love to relax some time. I'd love to be able to sleep.

• Mitch Brenner : Her father's part owner of one of the big newspapers in San Francisco.

  Lydia Brenner : You'd think he could manage to keep her name out of print. She's always mentioned in the columns, Mitch.

  Mitch Brenner : Yes, I know.

  Lydia Brenner : She is the one who jumped into a fountain in Rome last summer, isn't she?

  Mitch Brenner : Yes.

  Lydia Brenner : I suppose I'm old fashioned. I know it's supposed to be very warm there, but, well, actually the newspaper said she was naked.

• Lydia Brenner : The children were playing a game. Those gulls attacked!

  Deputy Al Malone : Now, Lydia, 'attack' is a pretty strong word, don't you think? I mean, birds just don't go around attacking people without no reason, you know what I mean? The kids just probably scared them, that's all.

  Lydia Brenner : These birds attacked!

• Lydia Brenner : I miss him. Sometimes, even now, I wake up in the morning and I think, 'I must get Frank's breakfast.' And I get up and - there's a very good reason for getting out of bed until, of course, I remember. I miss talking to him. Cathy's a child, of course, and Mitch, well, Mitch has his own life. I'm glad he stayed here today. I feel safer with him here.

• Mitch Brenner : I think I can handle Melanie Daniels by myself.

  Lydia Brenner : Well, as long as you know what you want Mitch.

  Mitch Brenner : I know exactly what I want.

• Cathy Brenner : What's the matter with them?

  Lydia Brenner : What's the matter with *all* the birds?

• Lydia Brenner : No, they're *not* fussy chickens.

• Lydia Brenner : I'm not like this, you know. Not usually. I don't fuss and fret over my children.

• Lydia Brenner : Melanie. Thanks for the tea.

• Lydia Brenner : Mitch has always done *exactly* what he wanted to do. But, you see, I - I don't want to be left alone. I don't think I could bear to be left alone.

  [starts to cry] 

  Lydia Brenner : Oh, forgive me. Forgive me! This business with the birds has me upset. I - I don't know what I'd do if Mitch weren't here.

• Lydia Brenner : When Frank died... You see he understood the children, he really understood them. He had the knack of entering into their world, of becoming a part of them. That's a very rare talent.

  Melanie Daniels : Yes.

  Lydia Brenner : Oh, I wish, I wish, I wish I could be that way.

• Lydia Brenner : What happens if you run out of wood?

  Mitch Brenner : I don't know! We'll break up the furniture.

  Lydia Brenner : You don't know! You don't know? When will you know? When we're all *dead*?

• Lydia Brenner : Dad, are you home?

• Lydia Brenner : [reacting to Melanie's bird-inflicted wounds]  Yes, of course, bandages! It's terrible!