Quotes

Dialogue

Sheba Hart: When you started teaching, didn't you want to give them a real education to help overcome... the poverty of their backgrounds? Barbara Covett: Oh yes, of course. But one soon learns that teaching is crowd control. We're a branch of the social services. Sue Hodge: Console yourself with the gems. That's when it's satisfying. Then you can make a real difference. Barbara Covett: The rest is just cattle-prod and pray.

Dialogue

Sheba Hart: I hadn't been pursued like this for years... I knew it was wrong, and immoral, and completely ridiculous, but, I don't know. I just allowed it to happen. Barbara Covett: The boy is fifteen! Sheba Hart: But he's quite mature for his age!

Dialogue

Barbara Covett: Well, that's when you should've stopped it. Sheba Hart: I did! I told him I wouldn't teach him any more. But he refused to accept it, he just kept coming back. It began to feel like our secret, and well, secrets can be... seductive.

Dialogue

Richard Hart: Excuse me. Could one of you tell me what's going on? Is this some kind of coven? Barbara Covett: I can explain perfectly. Would you like me to? Sheba Hart: No. It's just that Barbara's had some very bad news about her cat. Richard Hart: My condolences. Poor, poor pussy. Can I have my wife back, please? Barbara Covett: I don't like your tone. Richard Hart: Why is she always here? What kind of fucking spell has she cast on you?

Dialogue

Barbara Covett: [voiceover] By the time I took my seat in the Gods, the opera was well into its final act. Richard Hart: You're his teacher! Sheba Hart: And you were mine! I'm not justifying. I'm not trying to justify it... Richard Hart: You are so full of shit! It's totally different. You were twenty! Sheba Hart: He's sixteen in May. He's not some innocent... Richard Hart: Of course he's innocent! He's fucking fifteen! Are you insane? If you meant to destroy us, why not do it with an adult? That's the convention, it's worked for centuries! Sheba Hart: It wasn't about us, it... Richard Hart: Why? Sheba Hart: I ju-ju-just wanted him... Richard Hart: WHY? Sheba Hart: I don't know! Richard Hart: [distraught] WELL FIND OUT!!

Dialogue

Sheba Hart: What you say about me, about Richard - you're not fit to shine his shoes. And Ben, and Polly, that I'd be happier without them. Why did you do it? [slaps Barbara] Because I didn't help you collect your cat? [slaps Barbara again] You've cost me my family! Barbara Covett: No, no, take some responsibility! I gave you EXACTLY what you wanted! You'd still be stuck in that marriage without me. Sheba Hart: What? Barbara Covett: You can't accept it yet, but... Sheba Hart: You think I wanted to be here with you? Barbara Covett: You need me, I'm your friend! Sheba Hart: You put me in prison, I could get TWO years! Barbara Covett: They'll fly by! I'll visit you every week! We've so much life to live together! Sheba Hart: You think this is a love affair? A relationship? What, sticky gold stars, and - and a strand of my hair? And a receipt from Pizza Express? It's a flat in the Archway Road and you think you're Virginia frigging Woolf! And where did you get my hair? Did you pluck it fro