Over Here (1996 TV Movie)

Jack Shepherd: Butler

Quotes 

• Cappy : [Eating breakfast in the dining room]  Have you ever thought what a strange name you've got, Butler?

  Butler : Sir?

  Cappy : Well, your name's Butler.

  [laughs] 

  Cappy : And you are a butler.

  Butler : Oh yes, thank you, sir.

  Cappy : Don't you find that odd?

  Butler : Not in the least. I once knew a man called Driver, who was indeed a driver. and another young gentleman called Plumber, who for a living plumbed. Oddly enough you're not the first person to notice the coincidence between my name and my occupation. A short while ago, another gentleman said exactly the same as you. His name was Pratt.

  [Cappy looks away foolishly, another pilot scoffs, Robbie looks confused] 

• Cappy : [Eating breakfast in the dining room]  Have you ever thought what a strange name you've got, Butler?

  Butler : Sir?

  Cappy : Well, your name's Butler

  [laughs] 

  Cappy : and you are a butler.

  Butler : Oh yes, thank you, sir.

  Cappy : Don't you find that odd?

  Butler : Not in the least. I once knew a man called Driver, who was indeed a driver. and another young gentleman called Plumber, who for a living plumbed. Oddly enough you're not the first person to notice the coincidence between my name and my occupation. A short while ago, another gentleman said exactly the same as you. His name was Pratt.

  [Cappy looks away foolishly, another pilot scoffs, Robbie looks confused] 

• Lady Billingham : Charles, I'll make one last appeal to your better nature! We don't have to go through with this rediculos party. There's still time to cancel the Americans, and just let the nice people come! We could say there's illness in the house - some of the staff have come down with something those type of people go down with.

  Daphne : Oh no - I'm looking forward to this evening!

  Lady Billingham : I don't particularly care, Daphne!

  Charlie : Mother, What's the point of holding an independence Day party without some Americans? Look, the Americans are sharing our base with us. I thought the least I could do was to offer them some English hospitality

  Lady Billingham : I feel exactly the same, darling, but not here! Well, at least cancel your squadron!

  Charlie : Too late, mother - I've invited everyone now!

  Lady Billingham : You seem to be forgetting I have maids working here - young, country girls, who are at an impressionable age. I can't expose them to American airmen!

  Daphne : Mother, they're no different from their British counterparts.

  Lady Billingham : Is that supposed to make me feel better?

  [Spots Butler standing nearby] 

  Lady Billingham : Do you have any experience with Americans, Butler?

  Butler : Very Little, Madam. During the First World War, my sister Violet made the aquaintance of a young Americam airman named Hank. I met him on several occasions. He left me with a lasting impression, and Violet with twins.

  Lady Billingham : There, you see - what did I tell you?

  Daphne : Nobody's going to get pregnant, Beatrice!

  Charlie : Don't put it past me, old girl - a couple of medium sherrys, and I'm a tiger!

  Lady Billingham : Your cousin Rosemary will be here!

  Charlie : Yes, well, I'm sure we won't have a repitition of last time.

  Daphne : Of course not! Anyway, Archie bunting won't even be here - he's still in hospital!

  Charlie : Well, actually, he was discharged this morning.

  [Butler exits via the door in the background] 

  Charlie : Oh look, mother, why do you always look on the black side? I guarantee it will be a very quite, and very civilised gathering.

  [a housemaid enters] 

  Housemaid : Begging your pardon, M'lady. That was Col Hewitt, phoning from the American airbase. He said the band's on it's way.

  Lady Billingham : Dear god!

• Butler : [Clears throat as he approaches Archie and Dougal on the lawn]  Ah-hem. Excuse me, sir. That was a call from your base. Your squadron leave's been cancelled, sir. You're to return forthwith.

  Archie Bunting : [Pained]  Oh no. Thank you, Butler.

  [Butler departs] 

  Archie Bunting : Right, Dougal. Get the others together and be quick about it.

  [Dougal looks shocked, as he is clearly hungover] 

  Lady Billingham : [Calling from far away]  Squadron-Leader!

  Archie Bunting : [Archie and Dougal look around to see where she is calling from. Archie spots her on some steps, nudges Dougal]  Lady Billingham, good morning. Thank you for yesterday. Lovely ceremony, very moving.

  Lady Billingham : [Not impressed]  Is that yours?

  [Points with her head to Archie's Spitfire gracefully sitting on the ornamental lawn] 

  Archie Bunting : Um, I believe it is!

  Lady Billingham : Well, why did you bring it with you?

  Archie Bunting : Well, I need it, it's part of my job.

  Lady Billingham : Who told you, you could land on my grounds?

  Archie Bunting : Charlie.

  Lady Billingham : Charlie?

  Archie Bunting : He's your son.

  [Lady Billingham looks pained] 

  Archie Bunting : He said, 'there's plenty of land, bring the kite'.

• Butler : [Morning after Charlie's wedding in the breakfast room with Archie's squadron in various form of hangovers. Butler walks over to Robbie's sleeping form on the dining table, pulls him up, removes a plate, and let's him drop tp the table, awaking Archie]  Squadron-Leader. Have you eaten, sir?

  Archie Bunting : [Groggily]  What? No...

  Butler : Can I get you something, sir? Fried egg? Bacon? Black pudding?

  Archie Bunting : No. Nothing. Thank you. Nothing.

  [Butler turns to food, and prepares something] 

  Archie Bunting : Umm, how did last night's reception go? Did everyone enjoy themselves?

  Butler : Well, you seemed to be having a wonderful time, sir. Brought a certain, uh, spirit and flair to the occasion. Everyone remarked upon it.

  Archie Bunting : [Worried]  Oh no. What about Charlie? I didn't upset or offend him, did I?

  Butler : Well, I couldn't say, sir. After you challenged him to a drinking contest, it was rather difficult to gauge his exact mood, sir.

  Archie Bunting : A drinking contest?

  Butler : Yes. Apparently it's an ancient tradition within your squadron. It was started, umm, what?

  [pauses to think] 

  Butler : All about a year ago. Needless to say, Master Charles lost.

  [Archie, embarrassed, nods and looks down] 

  Butler : The other members of your squadron, carried him from the marquee, howling his unconscious form above their heads in a simple but rather touching ceremony. Reminiscent to some long-forgotten Nordic ritual. Simply cried out I thought for a longboat and half a dozen Valkyries and we could have been back at the old Royal Opera House, Vienna. Have you seen Wagner's 'Gotterdammerung', sir?

  Archie Bunting : No.

  Butler : No, me neither. Thought I did see 'Fasswaller' once at the Finsbury Park Empire.

  Archie Bunting : What about the bride?

  Butler : I didn't spot her, sir. But there was a rather large audience.

  [Walks over to Robbie, pulls him up and puts a plate of food before him. Robbie's sleeping form begins to drop, Butler pulls him up by the shoulder] 

  Archie Bunting : No, I meant, did I offend her?

  Butler : [pauses, looks around, thinking]  Yes.

  [Archie nods and looks pained. Telephone rings] 

  Butler : Excuse me, sir, that may be the telephone.

  [Taps Robbie on the shoulder who wakes up, surprised and momentarily confused seeing food before him] 

• Butler : [Clears throat as he approaches Archie and Dougal on the lawn]  . Ah-hem. Excuse me, sir. That was a call from your base. Your squadron leave's been cancelled, sir. You're to return forthwith.

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : [Pained]  Oh no. Thank you, Butler.

  [Butler departs] 

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : . Right, Dougal. Get the others together and be quick about it.

  [Dougal looks shocked] 

  Dougal : [Calling from far away]  Squadron-Leader!

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : [Archie and Dougal look around to see where she is calling from. Archie spots her on some steps, nudges Dougal]  Lady Billingham, good morning. Thank you for yesterday. Lovely ceremony, very moving.

  Dougal : [Not impressed]  Is that yours?

  [Points with her head to Archie's Spitfire gracefully sitting on the ornamental lawn] 

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : Um, I believe it is!

  Dougal : Well, why did you bring it with you?

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : Well, I need it, it's part of my job.

  Dougal : Who told you, you could land on my grounds?

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : Charlie.

  Dougal : Charlie?

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : He's your son.

  [Lady Billingham looks pained] 

  Squadron-Leader Archie Bunting : He said, 'there's plenty of land, bring the kite'.