Stevens: I'm sorry sir, but I am unable to be of assistance in this matter.
Stevens: You know what I am doing, Miss Kenton? I am placing my thoughts elsewhere while you chatter away.
James Stevens: If two members of staff have to fall in love and decide to get married, there's nothing one can say. But what I do find a major irritation are those persons who are simply going from post to post looking for romance.
Stevens: In my philosophy, Mr. Benn, a man cannot call himself well-contented until he has done all he can to be of service to his employer. Of course, this assumes that one's employer is a superior person, not only in rank, or wealth, but in moral stature.
Lewis: You are, all of you, amateurs. And international affairs should never be run by gentlemen amateurs. Do you have any idea of what sort of place the world is becoming all around you? The days when you could just act out of your noble instincts, are over. Europe has become the arena of realpolitik, the politics of reality. If you like: real politics. What you need is not gentlemen politicians, but real ones. You need professionals to run your affairs, or you're headed for disaster.
Miss Kenton: Why? Why, Mr. Stevens, why do you always have to hide what you feel?
Stevens: I was too busy serving to listen to the speeches.
Reginald Cardinal: You remember that American, Stevens, calling Lord Darlington an Amateur? Well he was right, Stevens. He was damn right.
