A Most Wanted Man Quotes

“The fact that you can only do a little is no excuse for doing nothing.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“Yes, dear Father. But has it ever occurred to you that by controlling [your feelings] you destroy them? How many times can we say sorry before we don't feel sorry anymore?”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“Perhaps you have forgotten. That’s one of the great problems of our modern world, you know. Forgetting. The victim never forgets. Ask an Irishman what the English did to him in 1920 and he’ll tell you the day of the month and the time and the name of every man they killed. Ask an Iranian what the English did to him in 1953 and he’ll tell you. His child will tell you. His grandchild will tell you. And when he has one, his great-grandchild will tell you too. But ask an Englishman—” He flung up his hands in mock ignorance. “If he ever knew, he has forgotten. ‘Move on!’ you tell us. ‘Move on! Forget what we’ve done to you. Tomorrow’s another day!’ But it isn’t, Mr. Brue.” He still had Brue’s hand. “Tomorrow was created yesterday, you see. That is the point I was making to you. And by the day before yesterday, too. To ignore history is to ignore the wolf at the door.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“Tomorrow was created yesterday.......And by the day before yesterday, too. TO IGNORE HISTORY IS TO IGNORE THE WOLF AT THE DOOR.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“I don't break down," she announced. "Got it?"

He got it. He was already pulling back, looking ashamed of himself, but somehow he was still holding her wrist.

"I never break down. I'm a lawyer.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“Never confess, my friend,” he advised drowsily, clasping Melik’s hand. “If you confess, they will keep you there forever.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“Information is not knowledge, mind you.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“It was the skinny boy’s stillness, he decided later. Those lines of age in a face as young as mine. His look of winter on a lovely spring day.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“The driver was holding open the rear door. He was young and blond, a boy in his prime.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“thing at”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“The fact you can only do a little is no excuse for doing nothing.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“That's one of the great problems of our modern world, you know. Forgetting. The victim never forgets. Ask an Irishman what the English did to him in 1920 and he'll tell you the day of the month and the time and the name of every man they killed. Ask an Iranian what the English did to him in 1953 and he'll tell you. His child will tell you. His grandchild will tell you too. But ask an Englishman -- if he ever knew, he has forgotten. 'Move on!' you tell us. 'Move on! Forget what we've done to you. Tomorrow's another day!' But it isn't, Mr. Brue. Tomorrow was created yesterday, you see. That's the point I was making to you. And the day before yesterday, too. To ignore history is to ignore the wolf at the door.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“Bachmann had once more made the weather.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“It’s an ordinary fountain pen, Lantern had said. It looks like a pen, writes like a pen, listens like a pen. If they take it apart, it’s still an ordinary fountain pen.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“We don’t ask him to become a traitor. We offer him a new definition of loyalty.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man

“I loathe weddings. I consider them unnatural and insulting. Every time I attend one, I see another good woman go to the wall.” “How about the poor bloody groom?” “As far as I’m concerned, the poor bloody groom is the wall.”
― John le Carré, A Most Wanted Man