M. Butterfly (1993)

Jeremy Irons: René Gallimard

Photos 

Quotes 

• Song Liling : Under the robes, beneath everything, it was always me. Tell me you adore me.

  Rene Gallimard : How could you, who understood me so well, make such a mistake? You've shown me your true self, and what I love was the lie, perfect lie, that's been destroyed.

  Song Liling : You never really loved me.

  Rene Gallimard : I'm a man who loved a woman created by a man. Anything else simply falls short.

• Song Liling : Now that we embark on the most forbidden of loves, I'm so afraid of my destiny.

  Rene Gallimard : There is no destiny, except the one we make for ourselves.

• Rene Gallimard : The Oriental woman: when she's good, she's very very very good. But when she's bad, she's Christian!

• Song Liling : The Oriental woman has always held a certain fascination for you Caucasian men. Is that not true?

  Rene Gallimard : Yes, but that fascination is imperialist, or so you tell me.

  Song Liling : Yes, it is always imperialist. Sometimes... sometimes it is also mutual.

• Rene Gallimard : Our world is changing. We French lost our war in Indochina because we failed to learn about the people we sought to lead. It's natural, therefore - correct, even - that they should resent us. How could they do otherwise, when we refused to treat them like fellow human beings?

• Rene Gallimard : You made me see the beauty of the story, of her death. It's, it's pure sacrifice. He's not worthy of it, but what can she do? She loves him so much. It's very beautiful.

  Song Liling : Well, yes, to a Westerner.

  Rene Gallimard : I beg your pardon?

  Song Liling : It's one of your favorite fantasies, isn't it? The submissive Oriental woman and the cruel white man.

• Song Liling : Well, education has always been undervalued in the West, hasn't it?

  Rene Gallimard : I wouldn't say that.

  Song Liling : No, of course you wouldn't. After all, how can you objectively judge your own values?

  Rene Gallimard : I think it's possible to achieve a little distance.

  Song Liling : Do you?

• Song Liling : I am slightly afraid of scandal.

  Rene Gallimard : What are we doing that's scandalous?

  Song Liling : I'm entertaining you in my parlor.

  Rene Gallimard : Where I come from, that would hardly be construed as...

  Song Liling : You come from France. France is a country living in the modern era, perhaps even ahead of it. China is a nation whose soul is firmly rooted 2000 years in the past. What I do - even pouring tea for you now - it has implications. Please go. Please, Monsieur Gallimard...

• Rene Gallimard : There is a vision of the Orient that I have. Of slender women in chong sams and kimonos who die for the love of unworthy foreign devils. Who are born and raised to be perfect women. Who take whatever punishment we give them, and spring back, strengthened by love, unconditionally. It is a vision that has become my life. My mistake was simple and absolute: the man I loved was not worthy. He didn't deserve even a second glance. But instead, I gave him my love. All of my love. Love warped my judgment, blinded my eyes, so that now, when I look into the mirror, I see nothing but... I have a vision of the Orient. That, deep within her almond eyes, there are still women. Women willing to sacrifice themselves for the love of a man. Even a man whose love is... completely without worth. Death with honor is better than life with dishonor. So, at last, in a prison, far from China, I have found her. My name is Rene Gallimard... also known as... Madame Butterfly.