Stanley Johnston quotes from The Gentlemen

[sitting in vehicle] Does the name Stanley Johnston ring a bell?

No, why?

He’s the chap I just sold the wine to. He is very interested in buying the estate. And the kind of money he was offering suggested he might know something about the operation.

What did you say his name was?

Stanley Johnston.

With a ‘T’.

What did you say to him?

I said it wasn’t for sale.

Well done. That’s the correct answer. [hands out sheet] Take a look at this.

What is it?

The lyrics to a song Freddy’s gotta sing when he hands the money over. And he’s gotta dance. Like a chicken.

Like a chicken?

Like a chicken.

Why does he have to dance like a chicken?

Because Tommy Dixon, understandably, needs an apology. [Pete gestures from residence door] Party time. [She and Eddie exits vehicle]

[walking to residence door and reads aloud] “I’m a posh twat who fucked up, ee-iee-io. I fucked up because I’m a knob, ee-iee-io. With a twat, twat here, and a twat, twat there.” How old is Tommy Dixon?

It’s a small price to pay.

[holds up bags] Want us to count it? Guy said it’s all there.

No, I’m good.

You sure? It’ll just take a little while.

No, come on, let’s go.

All right. I think he wants to say sorry.

Oh. Do you want an apology?

I don’t know. Do I?

Yes, you do. We need closure.

Blanket!

[drags out a bloodied Freddy] One Sticky Peteǃ

Freddy Horniman

I... I just wanted to say sorry from the bottom of my heartǃ Ah, that’s nice, innit, Eddie? I gave you back the money, and I’ve said I’m sorry, so are we cool?

[sighs] I don’t know. Are we cool, Edward?

Yeah. Yeah, we’re cool. [walking to vehicle] You said you were gonna talk to him.

Oh, we did. Don’t worry about him. We did him a favor. We discipline the dog, not the man.

What’s that supposed to mean?

There’s a dog in a man that the man can’t control. So we had to control it for him. Know what the fundamental challenge with the human condition is?

No. But filling in the blanks, is it too much dog and not enough man?

Too much untrained dog. And we are in the dog training business.

Do you know what I love about the British aristocracy? They’re the original gangsters. The reason they own 75% of this country is because they stole it. William the Conqueror was worse than Al Capone. When he came over from France, he grabbed hold of everything he could get his hands onto, and then he set up a system so that he and his friends got to hold onto it forever. Taxation. Education. The judiciary. It’s all designed to help the aristocracy hold on to their land and their money.

Well, I think I may agree with you. But I’d prefer to leave the criminality to my ancestors. However, the hold on my estate is being challenged. I’ve come to the realization that I may need some assistance in order to rectify the situation.

Well, then you’ve come to the right man. It would come with an element of quid pro quo. Do you think you can get comfortable with that?

I’m willing to do whatever it takes, Mr. Johnston.

I am a great believer in the importance of sartorial expression. There’s nothing wrong with conformity, as long as you know you’re conforming. Whilst I might dress like a sheep, there are various tell-tale signs that betray to the esoteric eye that I am, in fact, a wolf… in sheep’s clothing.

[chuckles] Do you have an occasion in mind for its unveiling?

I do indeed. A new suit for a new era.

I’ve made no secret of my desire to take control of your father’s organization. I am aware that it’s been faced with serious disruption over the last few months. Product gone missing. Pipelines blocked. Punches being thrown.

Hmm. We’re aware that you’re behind all of that. But you crossed the line when it came to my brother.

You rejected my initial approach. I needed to convince you and your father that I was in earnest. Now, I’m prepared to enter into negotiations over the peaceful handover of your business, but you must understand that I’m doing it from a position of considerable strength. Ms. Glass, what you seem not to know is that one of your disgruntled staff has leaked to me the 12 addresses of the other farms.

I’m afraid not. The list that I gave to Mr. Stevens was, in fact, spurious.

I was under the impression it was verified.

No. You’ve been the victim of a deception, Mr. Johnston.

I must admit, I was surprised to see you arriving together. Why the change of heart?

Felt like a pivotal moment. So I pivoted.

And despite your Machiavellian tactics, my father is still willing to sell the business to you, but only if you’re willing to pay more than everyone else.

Does that explain the presence of the bird?

My father is decidedly old school when it comes to business communications. He wants all bids sealed, in writing, and delivered by carrier pigeon by the end of the week.

[To Eddie] This cathedral has stood here for nearly a thousand years, almost as long as your family has possessed its title. It's generally accepted that man has not evolved architecturally since the construction of these medieval cathedrals. Our ambitions have become short-sighted. Man's desire to unify with God has fallen on fallow ground. God didn't deliver, or man didn't deliver. The experiment has failed.

Who said the experiment is over, Mr. Johnston? Never show a fool your work until it's complete.

Do you know why the monarch holds the orb and scepter during the coronation ceremony? Well, for the same reason that there is a spire on this cathedral and a nave underneath it. The spire and the scepter represent the masculine, the orb, the feminine. Giving and taking. Sun and moon. Positive and negative. Phallus and womb. Bat and ball. Bottle and glass. A pattern hidden in plain sight, but only observed by a few. The classical architects constructed all positions of power with a domed roof and an obelisk, column or spire. The crown represents the conscious reconciliation of these two opposing forces. The mistake people make is thinking the king is a man, not a symbol. He is the personification of the individual's quest to become whole. This has always been the hidden agenda of the monarch. The unification of these two disparate forces to wield a greater power. Where are we going with this, Mr. Johnston? And why are we in this cathedral? What do you know about this sheepskin parchment we have over here? Well, it's the Magna Carta, arguably one of the most significant constitutional documents of all time. Just as the king is the spiritual scepter, this document is the material orb. Your ancestor was one of 25 barons that forced the king to sign this document. I'm aware of that. Your DNA is baked into the keystone of Western civilization. A legitimate king could find the balance that was lost. To quote you, Your Grace, "Never show a fool your work until it's completed." What this country needs is a king that deserves such a crown. Your ancestor was the poison. You are the remedy. What's the difference between bad shit and good manure? The answer is you, Your Grace. You have the unique ability to alchemize that which is poisonous into that which is divine. The ability to choose between judgment and mercy. A harmless man is not a complete man. A complete man is a dangerous man who has judgment under voluntary control. They cannot mistake your kindness for weakness. The question is... will you accept the challenge?

[leading Eddie through Guildford Cathedral ] It used to take hundreds of years and thousands of men to construct a cathedral, with the confidence that God was listening. This 1960s monstrosity took two years and 100 men. The reason for this is the constriction that comes with the abandonment of certainty. I want to ask you a question. Alongside the inevitable feelings of despondency and regret you must have been wrestling with, did you, at any stage, experience any sense of liberation?

No, Mr. Johnston. None whatsoever.

It's not until you leave yourself behind that you can experience who you really are.

Trouble is that in my case, the process that stripped me of my privileges has left me in a rather precarious position that needs swift resolution, which is why I'd like to offer my estate as collateral for a loan of 100 million sterling.

The very number I offered you the first day we met. ( Stanley chuckles ) Must be fate.

If I can't repay the loan within a year, plus 15% interest, the estate and the grounds are yours.

What do you plan to do with this money, should I agree?

Repay my debts and recapitalize.

Are you familiar with the London Stone, Your Grace?

Yes, it's a... It's a landmark on Cannon Street.

It's much more than just a landmark, but the legend has it that Brutus brought it to the British Isles, the supposed founder of Britain, back in 1115 B.C.

So long as the Stone of Brutus is safe...

So long London will flourish. Hm. Its history, and yours, predates the Roman Empire. The legend states it arrived with the Trojans and landed in the British Isles 1,200 years before the birth of Christ. They saw the potential in this island they named Albion, so they left behind the stone, like a mystical beacon that would pulse for a millennia.

Well, that's a charming story.

I believe that you are the direct descendant of King Priam, the last king of Troy. That your aristocratic lineage goes back much further than you ever imagined, to the ancient Greeks.

You may be slightly overstating my lineage. It's very kind of you. But I'm not here for a history lesson. I'm here for a number.

I will grant you your loan, Lord Horniman, Duke of Halstead. I will have Stevens draw up the contract at once. Not because I wish to acquire your country seat, but more because I'd like to see you realize your full potential.