Movie Quotes: Sense & Sensibility

I believe I'm getting very crotchety and jaded in my old age. I'm repeatedly running into people who go on and on about being simply astonished at something or other and my natural reaction is to just wish they would get over it already and shut the hell up.

It puts me in mind of Hugh Laurie, the comedic genius of Jeeves & Wooster and currently the wry dramatic emmy-nominated genius of House M.D.. Back when I first saw him in Sense & Sensibility, I was unaware of his dramatic potential, and was completely astounded at what a 180 degree turn his Mr. Palmer was compared to Bertie Wooster. In one scene, he calmly bears his wife Charlotte's fluttering about some subject and issues a one word response in an effort to silence her on the matter.

Charlotte: Miss Dashwood, if only Mr. Willoughby had gone home to Combe Magna, we could have taken Miss Marianne to see him! For we live but half a mile away.

Mr. Palmer: Five and a half.

Charlotte: No, I cannot believe it is that far, for you can see the place from the top of our hill. Is it really five and a half miles? No! I cannot believe it.

Mr Palmer: (brief pause) Try.