Firelight (1997)

Sophie Marceau: Elisabeth Laurier

Photos 

Quotes 

• Elisabeth : Do you know about Firelight?

  Louisa : What about it?

  Elisabeth : It's a kind of magic. Firelight makes time stand still. When you put out the lamps and sit in the firelight's glow there aren't any rules any more.

  [blows out lamp] 

  Elisabeth : You can do what you want, say what you want, be what you want, and when the lamps are lit again, time starts again, and everything you said or did is forgotten. More than forgotten it never happened.

• Elisabeth : Shall we start our lessons?

  Louisa : I don't have to do what you say. You're just a servant.

  Elisabeth : That's enough! Be silent! You will obey me whether you want to or not! You will obey because poor as I am, I am placed in authority over you. You will not speak disrespectfully to me or raise your voice to me.

  Louisa : [Taunting]  Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant! Servant!

  [Elisabeth throws a cup of blue paint onto Louisa. Then, true to her word, she throws a cup or red on herself] 

  Elisabeth : I'm not a servant, I'm a *prisoner*! So will you be when you grow up. The day you come of age the gates will close around you because you are a *woman*! If you marry, everything you own will become the property of your husband. If you don't marry every profession will be closed to you but *one*, and that one is a life of loneliness and humiliation. They lock you up, Louisa! But there's one part they can lock up: They can't imprison your mind. And that's why I want you to learn to read. I want you to have your own life!

• Charles Godwin : [Rushing to the school room upon hearing Louisa throwing a tantrum from being locked inside the school room finding the door locked]  Open the door.

  Louisa : Papa! Papa!

  Charles Godwin : [Pounds on the door]  Miss Laurier, open this door at once!

  [Elisabeth opens the door and locks it behind her] 

  Charles Godwin : What do you think you're doing? Open the door!

  Elisabeth : No, sir.

  [Charles tries to get the key from behind Elisabeth's back] 

  Louisa : Please, Papa! Come here, please!

  Charles Godwin : I will not have you treat my daughter like this.

  Elisabeth : Would you have her grow up ignorant and friendless?

  Charles Godwin : I'll *NOT* have her imprisoned!

  Elisabeth : She cares for no one but you, and so *NO ONE* cares for her!

  Charles Godwin : Give me the key.

  Elisabeth : She's unhappy and lonely. She doesn't know who she is, or what she is to do or why!

  [Charles manhandles Elisabeth attempting to get the key again] 

  Louisa : Papa, help me! Papa I want you!

  Elisabeth : I can help her. I know I can. But first she must be taught to obey me.

  Charles Godwin : If you harm so much as one hair on her head...

  Elisabeth : [Incensed]  Do you think *I* of all people would ever hurt her?

  Elisabeth : I'll make you a promise; Whatever I do to Louisa I'll do to myself. You want her to love you. I want her to *be* loved.

• Charles Godwin : [At night in the schoolroom]  Louisa tells me you have a story about firelight.

  Elisabeth : Yes. I tell her Firelight is a magic time, when times stands still.

  Charles Godwin : Why'd you tell her that?

  Elisabeth : I find it helps. A time with no rules at the end of the day.

  [She walks over to the fire and kneels to pick up two cards Louisa left on the floor earlier] 

  Charles Godwin : I must ask you to help me.

  Elisabeth : How?

  Charles Godwin : There was a time - there was a short time, when we were close you and I.

  Elisabeth : Yes?

  Charles Godwin : Do you remember it?

  Elisabeth : Yes.

  Charles Godwin : Just tell me that time is over and can never com again.

  [Elisabeth says nothing] 

  Charles Godwin : You don't answer. What happens when time stands still?

  Elisabeth : In the firelight, you can do what you want. Say what you want. Be what you want.

  [She rises] 

  Elisabeth : And the lamps are lit again, time starts again, and everything you said or did is forgotten. More than forgotten. It never happened.

  Elisabeth , Charles Godwin : [They kiss] 

  [Cut to: Charles and Elisabeth passionately making love] 

• Elisabeth : [about the Lake House]  What do you do out there?

  Louisa : If you ever go out there, I'll kill you! I'll murder you!

  Elisabeth : How?

  Louisa : I'll stab you in the heart!

  Elisabeth : Yes, that would do it.

  Louisa : It would! You'd be dead.

  Elisabeth : You'd have to bury me.

  Louisa : I wouldn't. I'd just leave you there!

  Elisabeth : I'd rot. I'd smell.

  Louisa : Serve you right!

• Elisabeth : [Standing on the Beach Alone; Charles Approaches]  Aren't you afraid to be seen with me?

  Charles Godwin : There's no one to see.

  Elisabeth : I like it here. Just sea and sky and...

  Charles Godwin : ...and nothing.

  Elisabeth : I like it. Makes me want to shout.

  Charles Godwin : Then shout.

  Elisabeth , Charles Godwin : [They look at each other, then they look around to make sure no one's around] 

  Elisabeth : [Tries to shout, but just ends up laughing]  No. Not so easy.

  [laughs again] 

  Charles Godwin : You're very... I didn't expect it to be like this.

  Elisabeth : What did you expect?

  Charles Godwin : Last night. I thought - for a moment I thought that...

  Elisabeth : You thought that I liked it?

  Charles Godwin : Did you?

  Elisabeth : No. But I could.

• Elisabeth : Good Morning, Louisa. Do you know your ABC?

  Louisa : [Mockingly]  Do you know your ABC?

  Elisabeth : [Making a Flashcard for the letter "L"]  This is "L" for Louisa.

  Louisa : [Mockingly]  This is "L" for Louisa.

  [Heads for the door] 

  Elisabeth : Don't go. We have work to do.

  Louisa : [Mockingly]  Don't go. We have work to do.

  Louisa : [Stops at the door]  You're poor I suppose.

  Elisabeth : Yes.

  Louisa : I don't have to do what you say.

  [Exits]