Swimming Upstream (2003)

Geoffrey Rush: Harold Fingleton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Harold Fingleton : [to Tony while having Harold Jr. beat him up in a boxing lesson]  What're you crying for?

  Young Harold Jr. : [whilst boxing]  You are. You're crying!

  Young Tony : [sobbing]  I'm not!

  Young Harold Jr. : [punches Tony again]  You are now!

• Harold Fingleton : [in a drunken stupor, to Tony]  When I was your age, I was tougher.

  Tony Fingleton : What are you talking about?

  Harold Fingleton : You're far too weak. You make me feel ashamed. I wish you didn't exist.

  Dora Fingleton : Oh, Tony, come to bed.

  [Tony leaves] 

  Harold Fingleton : They were a bunch of animals. Bastards.

  Dora Fingleton : Harold, what happened? What happened today, hmm? What happened? How'd you get that mark on your face?

  Harold Fingleton : Coppers came out and, um... I think I fell over. Coppers...

  Dora Fingleton : Was it...

  Harold Fingleton : It was all so long ago that they were animals. And my mother... My mother, she was there. THEY WERE ANIMALS!

  Dora Fingleton : What?

  Harold Fingleton : You're a very good woman, Dora. Where's Tony?

• Dora Fingleton : [about Tony, proudly]  Your son's just won the junior championship.

  Harold Fingleton : [to John]  Wait'll these mugs see what you can do.

• Brother Campbell : Oh, Harold, uh, Father Dillon is hearing confession right after mass.

  Harold Fingleton : Is he? That's nice.

  Brother Campbell : Probably been awhile?

  Harold Fingleton : I'll pop along next week.

  Brother Campbell : Since you're here, and since your boys will be coming here...

• Harold Fingleton : [on his way to confession]  Hot in here, isn't it?

  Dora Fingleton : Not for us Protestants.

• Tony Fingleton : [struggling to connect with his dad prior to leaving Australia for Harvard College in the United States]  Do you remember the first time you took me to the pool, Dad? Put me in the water?

  [Harold shakes his head] 

  Tony Fingleton : I do. At the old Spring Hill Baths. I remember being terrified of drowning. You had me there and then you just... you just... let me go.

  Harold Fingleton : Oh. I remember that.

  Tony Fingleton : Yeah. But I didn't go under. I floated. And then, uh... and then I swam away from you, and... I swam away across to the other side maybe, but...

  Tony Fingleton : [suddenly embarrassed at how directly this childhood story connects to his current actions]  I should go. I've got things to do.