Memorable quotes for
East of Eden (1955) More at IMDbPro »

Cal Trask: Man has a choice and it's a choice that makes him a man.
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[refusing Cal's gift of money]
Adam Trask: If you want to give me a present, give me a good life. That's something I can value.
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[Abra pleads with Adam to reconcile with his son]
Abra: Mr. Trask, it's awful not to be loved. It's the worst thing in the world. Don't ask me - even if you could - how I know that. I just know it. It makes you mean, and violent, and cruel. And that's the way Cal has always felt, Mr. Trask. All his life! Maybe you didn't mean it that way - but it's true. You never gave him your love. You never asked for his. You never asked him for one thing.
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Abra: But you must give him some sign, Mr. Trask, some sign that you love him... or he'll never be a man. All his life he'll feel guilty and alone unless you release him.
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Adam Trask: [Adam gives Cal the bible to read] Start at the fifth verse. Verse 5.
Cal Trask: [Cal begins to read... ] "I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah."
Adam Trask: Go on.
Cal Trask: [he continues] Six...
Adam Trask: And I suggest a little slower, Cal. And you don't have to read the verse numbers.
Cal Trask: [Cal continues on] "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee. And surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him. Selah." Seven...
Adam Trask: Not the numbers, Cal...
Cal Trask: [Cal abruptly furthers reading] "Thou art my hiding place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble, thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah."
[pause]
Cal Trask: *Eight*...
Adam Trask: You have no repentance! You're bad! Through and through, bad!
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Kate: [after Cal asks why she shot his father] Because he tried to hold me, he tried to tie me down! Nobody holds me!
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Abra: [telling Cal she loves him] I was even thinking I was bad. I love you even though I'm afraid of you. Maybe someday I won't be.
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Cal Trask: Hey Aron, why don't you ask me where I've been?
Aron Trask: Would you tell me?
Cal Trask: No.
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Cal Trask: I've been jealous all my life. Jealous, I couldn't even stand it. Tonight, I even tried to buy your love, but now I don't want it anymore... I can't use it anymore. I don't want any kind of love anymore. It doesn't pay off.
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Cal Trask: It's gonna work because it's got to work and it's got to work because I said so
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