House of Cards (trilogy) Season 1 quotes

No, I have nothing to say. No. No. Don't you see? I had to do it. How could I have trusted her? You might very well think that. I could not possibly comment.

Remember that frightfully nice man who talked a lot about the classless society? He had to go, of course, in the end. Everything changes.

A new king. A new age, of hope and peace and spiritual growth, et cetera. And I'm still here for my sins.

[of the King] No manners in the ordinary sense, no small talk, no apparent sense of irony. It's all tremendously interesting, but he wants to do this every week. He'll have to realize the lonely hearts club is all very well, but I can't fritter my time away in idle chatter. I have to run the country for one thing. And at this rate our royal friend's going to make that more and more like the Chief Whip's job. A pat on the head and a biscuit here, a short, sharp shock there and a good boot up the backside where indicated.

Did you enjoy my little speech? I thought my "deep personal wound" was a rather good touch. I am in fact extremely angry with His Majesty and I intend to do him harm. I feel exhilarated. Prospect of a fight, of course, with the odds unfairly weighted in my favour. Next to a small war, there's nothing quite like a general election to stiffen the sinews and summon up the blood.

The King is the unknown quantity. I don't know what the man wants. You'd think he'd be happy to wave from the balcony and keep his opinions to himself after all the nonsense his family have got up to. God knows what he thinks he's doing.

Perhaps he's just a man of principle.

I'm afraid you may be right. But if he pursues the course he's embarked upon he'll destroy himself.

Would you really bring down the monarchy if you could? If you had to.

Bring down the monarchy? No! The idea is abhorrent to me. But to force the abdication of a particular King, that has been done before. And if the country's good required it of me, I wouldn't shrink from it.

Ah, I see you've been reading the paper. No hard feelings, I hope. These things need airing.

Well, of course they do. Quite right. Do sit down. Would I be right in thinking you're on some sort of morality crusade, Bruce?

In a sense, yes. Opening a debate about morality in public and private life — why not?

Is everyone's private life a legitimate subject for scrutiny?

Well, if it's all right for the Royals, why not for the rest of us?

Who could argue with that? How are you getting along with the Princess?

Very well, surprisingly enough.

Yes, we thought so too. Stamper has some photographs he would like to show you. The technical quality's rather poor in some of them.

Other way up, I think, Bruce. That's it. There's a video, too. I was very doubtful of the morality of infringing your privacy, Bruce, but after what you've just said...

How much for the prints and the negatives?

Bruce, please. A little loyalty from our friends is all we ask. Just a-a helping hand in these rather trying times.

Oh we-e-e-ell, of course! We weren't actually going to put the boot in! No, not in a serious way! These are tough times for all of us.

We gather the Princess' memoirs have been quite revealing.

Bloody dynamite — and not just about her, not just about the 'younger generation', if you follow me. Staggering stuff. They're all bloody at it! Always have been!

Print them.

I-I-I can't do that. I made a solemn promise, not-not a word while the Princess is still alive. Francis, it would destroy her — and not just her. She doesn't deserve that.

No, perhaps you're right. We'll just have to make do with these, now won't we?

All right, you bugger. Ding-dong, ding-dong... And as for you, Stamper—

What?

How much does Bullerby have? What could he publish?

Everything the princess was able to tell him. A lot of it's hearsay, of course. But I'd say there's enough to bring down the Monarchy for good.

Damn you man, is that what you want?

No, sir. It is not what I want. And I think – I'm sure, in fact – I could persuade him to suppress the more sensitive items.

The price being my silence and complicity, I suppose.

You might see it in those terms.

All right, do your worst.

I beg your pardon, sir?

I don't think the people will want any more muckraking. I think the whole nation is sick to death of negative campaigning and dirty tricks. They want to be given hope, they want something positive. I want to show them that there is an alternative, and I shall.

You have given your word, sir.

I have given my word not to make any political speeches, and I shan't. But I shall make it very clear that I oppose you bitterly and everything you stand for. You think you are an honourable man. I don't think that anymore. I think you and your party are intellectually and morally bankrupt. It's time for you to go, and you know it.

I shall like to formally request a dissolution of Parliament in preparation for a general election.

Granted, Mr Urquhart.

Why are you doing this? What could possibly be in it for you?

You really don't understand, do you? I do believe you're frightened of me, Mr. Urquhart.

You believe that if it gives you any comfort, sir.

Images of Urquhart's Britain, the Newham gas explosion. Doesn't that rather sum things up, Prime Minister? A decaying and neglected tower block in the inner city crumbles and disintegrates, unable to withstand the blast, while a laissez-faire government stands idly by?

Absolute nonsense.

Is it? The King's doing what he can to help while the Prime Minister looks on, unmoved. Every picture tells a story. Isn't this a symbol of everything that is wrong with society today?

You might think that. You might very well think that. Something is very wrong.

So you're admitting responsibility then, are you? In that case, don't you think it's time that you stepped down—

I admit nothing of the kind. The unfortunate victims of the Newham disaster died as a result of reckless greed and irresponsibility. A fourth-floor tenant who was disinclined to pay his gas bill decided to bypass the meter and tap directly into the main. He made a botch of it, and succeeded in killing or maiming seventy-two of his friends and neighbors. End of story.

You don't think that the deep divisions in society are even partly to blame? You're quite happy with the way things are?

Indeed, I am not. There is a deep division in society today, between those who want to work and enjoy the fruits of their labours and abide by and uphold the laws of the land, and an increasing number of what it has become fashionable to call the disaffected, the disadvantaged, the differently-motivated — what we used to call lazy people, dishonest people, people who don't want to take responsibility for their actions or their lives.

So you don't feel inclined to do anything about the situation?

On the contrary. I decided that the time has come to take quite drastic action. We're going to bring back National Service as the first step in a large-scale programme of public works. We're going to get our young people — all our young people — off their backsides. We're going to put a large investment into Britain's future. And we're damned well going to get our money's worth.

But what you're talking about is universal conscription in peacetime.

Listen. It can't be right that young people in the very flower and prime of youth should spend half the day loafing in bed, and the rest selling each other drugs and stealing from each other. Let's give our young people a chance to learn self-discipline again, a chance to feel proud of themselves and walk tall!

But this is a complete—

I have a great belief in Britain, you know. We are not a nation of social workers, or clients of social workers. We are not, please God, a nation of deserving cases. We are a fierce, proud nation, and we are still, God willing, a nation to be reckoned with!

Congratulations, Mr. Urquhart.

Thank you, sir. I was expecting you might want to dispense with such niceties.

Oh, by all means. I'm heartily sorry you're still Prime Minister, but I'm not in the least downhearted. The tide has turned against you, and I'm very glad to have played my part in that. I think you'll be out before the end of the year, Mr. Urquhart, and Britain will be all the better for it.

Your opinions, sir, are no longer of any interest to anyone but yourself. You have risked everything in opposing me, and you have lost. I have come here to demand your abdication from the throne.

The people won't back you, Urquhart.

I shan't need to consult them again, sir. They have re-elected me. And I cannot, and I will not, tolerate a monarch who is bitterly and publicly opposed to me. You must abdicate, sir. It is the only honourable course. You must see that.

Oh, I don't think you are in any position to speak of honourable courses. I'll continue to oppose you openly and publicly while I remain on the throne. And if I am forced to relinquish the throne, then I shall continue to fight you as a commoner. I shall welcome the opportunity, and I shall take very keen pleasure in defeating you in the polls.

I wouldn't bet on it, sir. I'm afraid you won't be of much interest as a commoner. I doubt if anyone will be particularly interested in what you have to say. You have no constituency, you see. No power base. You represent nothing but one talentless, discredited family. And very soon, you won't represent even that. You will represent nothing. You will mean nothing. You will be nothing.

Well, we'll see. I spent my whole life preparing to be King.

I feel no compunction, sir. You tried to destroy me.

No, I didn't want to destroy you, man. You wanted to destroy the Monarchy.

Not at all, sir. Don't you understand what I'm telling you? I have no wish to. It is you I want to destroy, not the Monarchy. My family came south with James I. We were defenders of the English throne before your family was ever heard of. It is to preserve the ideal of a constitutional monarchy that I now demand your abdication.

You're a monster, Urquhart.

You might very well think that, sir. But your opinion doesn't count for very much now, does it? Good day, sir.

Well, what would you have? Britain must be governed, and you know who will do it best. If you will the end, you must will the means. These things happen all over the world. Believe me, it's all for the best. What's the matter? You do trust me, don't you? Of course you do.

What a rigmarole – a full state funeral now. The woman simply hung around too long. Better a quick exit than clinging to the wreckage of a lost career. Some people seem to lack all sense of timing.

[about Thatcher] I want to erase that woman from the public memory, Elizabeth. I want to wipe her off the board. I want to be remembered as the greatest Prime Minister since Winston Churchill.

[in a televised press conference] To quote the prime minister, "You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment."

You bastard!

You hear people saying there's not a lot satisfaction in a knighthood, but I've noticed most of those people haven't got one.