Finding Neverland Quotes
The story of J.M. Barrie's friendship with a family who inspired him to create Peter Pan.
[last lines]
Peter Llewelyn Davies: It's just, I thought she'd always be here.
J.M. Barrie: So did I. But in fact, she is, because she's on every page of your imagination. You'll always have her there. Always.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: But why did she have to die?
J.M. Barrie: I don't know, Peter. When I think of your mother, I will always remember how happy she looked, sitting there in the parlor watching a play about her family, about her boys that never grew up. She went to Neverland. And you can visit her any time you like if you just go there yourself.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: How?
J.M. Barrie: By believing, Peter. Just believe.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: It's just, I thought she'd always be here.
J.M. Barrie: So did I. But in fact, she is, because she's on every page of your imagination. You'll always have her there. Always.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: But why did she have to die?
J.M. Barrie: I don't know, Peter. When I think of your mother, I will always remember how happy she looked, sitting there in the parlor watching a play about her family, about her boys that never grew up. She went to Neverland. And you can visit her any time you like if you just go there yourself.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: How?
J.M. Barrie: By believing, Peter. Just believe.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: This is absurd. It's just a dog.
J.M. Barrie: Just a dog? *Just*?
[to Porthos]
J.M. Barrie: Porthos, don't listen!
[to Peter]
J.M. Barrie: Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's *just* a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, "He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man", or "That's not a diamond, it's just a rock." Just.
J.M. Barrie: Just a dog? *Just*?
[to Porthos]
J.M. Barrie: Porthos, don't listen!
[to Peter]
J.M. Barrie: Porthos dreams of being a bear, and you want to shatter those dreams by saying he's *just* a dog? What a horrible candle-snuffing word. That's like saying, "He can't climb that mountain, he's just a man", or "That's not a diamond, it's just a rock." Just.
J.M. Barrie: It seems to me that Peter's trying to grow up too fast. I imagine he thinks that grown-ups don't hurt as deeply as children do when they... when they lose someone. I lost my older brother David when I was just Peter's age, and it nearly destroyed my mother.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: James, I'm so sorry. Your poor mother. I can't imagine losing a child.
J.M. Barrie: She didn't get out of bed for months, she wouldn't eat. I tried everything to make her happy but she only wanted David. So one day I dressed myself in David's clothing and I went to her.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: You must have frightened her to death.
J.M. Barrie: I think it was the first time she ever actually looked at me, and that was the end of the boy James. I used to say to myself he'd gone to Neverland.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: Where?
J.M. Barrie: Neverland. It's a wonderful place... I've not spoken about this before to anyone- ever.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: What's it like, Neverland?
J.M. Barrie: One day I'll take you there.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: James, I'm so sorry. Your poor mother. I can't imagine losing a child.
J.M. Barrie: She didn't get out of bed for months, she wouldn't eat. I tried everything to make her happy but she only wanted David. So one day I dressed myself in David's clothing and I went to her.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: You must have frightened her to death.
J.M. Barrie: I think it was the first time she ever actually looked at me, and that was the end of the boy James. I used to say to myself he'd gone to Neverland.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: Where?
J.M. Barrie: Neverland. It's a wonderful place... I've not spoken about this before to anyone- ever.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: What's it like, Neverland?
J.M. Barrie: One day I'll take you there.
George Llewelyn Davies: Excuse me, is he bothering you, sir? My brother can be an extremely irritating sort of person.
J.M. Barrie: Ah, Prince George, I take it. And what precisely is um...
[to Michael]
J.M. Barrie: What did you say your name was?
Michael Llewelyn Davies: Michael.
J.M. Barrie: What precisely is Michael's crime?
George Llewelyn Davies: He's my younger brother.
J.M. Barrie: Ah, fair enough. Sorry lad, I cannot free you.
Michael Llewelyn Davies: That's all right.
J.M. Barrie: Ah, Prince George, I take it. And what precisely is um...
[to Michael]
J.M. Barrie: What did you say your name was?
Michael Llewelyn Davies: Michael.
J.M. Barrie: What precisely is Michael's crime?
George Llewelyn Davies: He's my younger brother.
J.M. Barrie: Ah, fair enough. Sorry lad, I cannot free you.
Michael Llewelyn Davies: That's all right.
J.M. Barrie: [discussing Sylvia's reluctance to accept her illness] They can see it, you know. You can't go on just pretending.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: Just pretending? You brought pretending into this family, James. You showed us we can change things by simply believing them to be different.
J.M. Barrie: A lot of things, Sylvia. Not everything.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: But the things that matter. We've pretended for some time now that you're a part of this family, haven't we? You've come to mean so much to us all that now, it doesn't matter if it's true. And even if it isn't true, even if that can never be... I need to go on pretending... until the end... with you.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: Just pretending? You brought pretending into this family, James. You showed us we can change things by simply believing them to be different.
J.M. Barrie: A lot of things, Sylvia. Not everything.
Sylvia Llewelyn Davies: But the things that matter. We've pretended for some time now that you're a part of this family, haven't we? You've come to mean so much to us all that now, it doesn't matter if it's true. And even if it isn't true, even if that can never be... I need to go on pretending... until the end... with you.
J.M. Barrie: I do apologize for interrupting.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Would you close the door, please?
J.M. Barrie: Certainly.
[he closes the door]
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Sylvia has told me you have offered her the services of your household staff.
J.M. Barrie: Well, not exactly.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: That won't be necessary.
J.M. Barrie: I'll leave that to Sylvia, of course.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: You'll leave that to ME, Mr.Barrie. You see, I'm moving in here from now on.
J.M. Barrie: You're moving in?
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: I'm going where I'm most needed. And I can certainly see to it that this house is managed without resorting to your charity.
J.M. Barrie: It isn't charity, Mrs du Maurier. I was only trying to help, as a friend.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Have you no idea how much your friendship has already cost my daughter? Or are you really that selfish?
J.M. Barrie: I beg your pardon?
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Don't you see what a visit to the summer cottage of a married man does for a widow's future prospects? Sylvia needs to find someone. The boys need a father. And you are destroying any hope this family has of pulling itself together again.
J.M. Barrie: I have only wanted good things for this family, Mrs du Maurier.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: I'll look after them. You have your own family to concern yourself with.
J.M. Barrie: What are you suggesting?
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: I'm suggesting that you protect what you have, Mr.Barrie. That is percisely what I am doing.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Would you close the door, please?
J.M. Barrie: Certainly.
[he closes the door]
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Sylvia has told me you have offered her the services of your household staff.
J.M. Barrie: Well, not exactly.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: That won't be necessary.
J.M. Barrie: I'll leave that to Sylvia, of course.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: You'll leave that to ME, Mr.Barrie. You see, I'm moving in here from now on.
J.M. Barrie: You're moving in?
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: I'm going where I'm most needed. And I can certainly see to it that this house is managed without resorting to your charity.
J.M. Barrie: It isn't charity, Mrs du Maurier. I was only trying to help, as a friend.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Have you no idea how much your friendship has already cost my daughter? Or are you really that selfish?
J.M. Barrie: I beg your pardon?
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Don't you see what a visit to the summer cottage of a married man does for a widow's future prospects? Sylvia needs to find someone. The boys need a father. And you are destroying any hope this family has of pulling itself together again.
J.M. Barrie: I have only wanted good things for this family, Mrs du Maurier.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: I'll look after them. You have your own family to concern yourself with.
J.M. Barrie: What are you suggesting?
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: I'm suggesting that you protect what you have, Mr.Barrie. That is percisely what I am doing.
J.M. Barrie: [watches Nana crawl across the stage and bump head-first into one of the beds] Nanny? Nanny? Um, first you get the pajamas, then you make the bed.
Nana The Dog: With my paws?
J.M. Barrie: You make the bed with your paws; the pajamas you get with your teeth. Because in fact, being a dog, you haven't any proper digits, have you?
Nana The Dog: Well I don't have any teeth either! I mean I can't see, I can't breathe, all I've got is this rubbery snout.
J.M. Barrie: [looks back at Frohman] Can we get him some teeth?
Charles Frohman: He can have mine.
Nana The Dog: With my paws?
J.M. Barrie: You make the bed with your paws; the pajamas you get with your teeth. Because in fact, being a dog, you haven't any proper digits, have you?
Nana The Dog: Well I don't have any teeth either! I mean I can't see, I can't breathe, all I've got is this rubbery snout.
J.M. Barrie: [looks back at Frohman] Can we get him some teeth?
Charles Frohman: He can have mine.
J.M. Barrie: [gives him a journal] Here you go.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: What's this?
J.M. Barrie: All great writers begin with a good leather binding and a respectable title. Open it.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: [reads] "The Boy Castaways: Being a record of the terrible adventures of the brothers Davies, faithfully set forth by Peter Llewelyn Davies."
J.M. Barrie: Kipling would swallow his own ear for a title like that!
Peter Llewelyn Davies: I still have no idea what to write.
J.M. Barrie: Write about anything. Write about your family, write about the talking whale!
Peter Llewelyn Davies: What whale?
J.M. Barrie: The one that's trapped in your imagination and desperate to get out.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: What's this?
J.M. Barrie: All great writers begin with a good leather binding and a respectable title. Open it.
Peter Llewelyn Davies: [reads] "The Boy Castaways: Being a record of the terrible adventures of the brothers Davies, faithfully set forth by Peter Llewelyn Davies."
J.M. Barrie: Kipling would swallow his own ear for a title like that!
Peter Llewelyn Davies: I still have no idea what to write.
J.M. Barrie: Write about anything. Write about your family, write about the talking whale!
Peter Llewelyn Davies: What whale?
J.M. Barrie: The one that's trapped in your imagination and desperate to get out.
Mary Ansell Barrie: I'm tired of waiting, James. I'm tired of looking like a fool.
J.M. Barrie: Well I can't very well give up the play.
Mary Ansell Barrie: No. Just... come home to me at the end of the day. No more trips to the country, no more long evenings in the park. If you can't give us that much of a chance... Then we must end this... and I will.
J.M. Barrie: Well I can't very well give up the play.
Mary Ansell Barrie: No. Just... come home to me at the end of the day. No more trips to the country, no more long evenings in the park. If you can't give us that much of a chance... Then we must end this... and I will.
Mrs. Emma du Maurier: Go upstairs George, now!
George Llewelyn Davies: Quit ordering me about! This isn't your home, it's *our* home! Just because Mother's needed your help recently doesn't give you the right to lord over her existence. She isn't a child anymore, and neither am I. If she wants to see uncle Jim she can see uncle Jim. There's nothing you can do about it!
George Llewelyn Davies: Quit ordering me about! This isn't your home, it's *our* home! Just because Mother's needed your help recently doesn't give you the right to lord over her existence. She isn't a child anymore, and neither am I. If she wants to see uncle Jim she can see uncle Jim. There's nothing you can do about it!
J.M. Barrie: We'll get them with the next one, Charles, I promise.
Charles Frohman: Of course we will, James.
J.M. Barrie: I know you put a lot into this one.
Charles Frohman: A fortune, James, but I am fortunate because I can afford to lose a fortune.
J.M. Barrie: Can you?
Charles Frohman: No, I can't.
Charles Frohman: Of course we will, James.
J.M. Barrie: I know you put a lot into this one.
Charles Frohman: A fortune, James, but I am fortunate because I can afford to lose a fortune.
J.M. Barrie: Can you?
Charles Frohman: No, I can't.
George Llewelyn Davies: What have you written, Mr. Barrie?
J.M. Barrie: Well, currently I make my living entertaining princes and their courts with my trained bear, Porthos.
[motions to his dog]
J.M. Barrie: If you command your brother Peter to join us I am willing, Prince George, to give you just such a performance, in exchange for the freedom of this prisoner, of course.
George Llewelyn Davies: Very well.
J.M. Barrie: Very well.
J.M. Barrie: Well, currently I make my living entertaining princes and their courts with my trained bear, Porthos.
[motions to his dog]
J.M. Barrie: If you command your brother Peter to join us I am willing, Prince George, to give you just such a performance, in exchange for the freedom of this prisoner, of course.
George Llewelyn Davies: Very well.
J.M. Barrie: Very well.
J.M. Barrie: Listen, what would you think of loaning Emma out to the Davies' for the occasional evening? They don't actually have a cook.
Mary Ansell Barrie: I take it Mrs. Davies enjoyed the meal she had here?
J.M. Barrie: I imagine she could use an extra hand now and again, that's all.
Mary Ansell Barrie: Oh, that's very charitable of you. Perhaps we can send over some of the silver as well... and what about linen? I wouldn't be surprised if some of hers was looking a bit shabby.
J.M. Barrie: Please, Mary, stop.
Mary Ansell Barrie: Maybe she can send over some of the things we've run short on. My husband, for example. We rarely see him in this house.
J.M. Barrie: That hasn't seemed to bother you for some time now.
Mary Ansell Barrie: I take it Mrs. Davies enjoyed the meal she had here?
J.M. Barrie: I imagine she could use an extra hand now and again, that's all.
Mary Ansell Barrie: Oh, that's very charitable of you. Perhaps we can send over some of the silver as well... and what about linen? I wouldn't be surprised if some of hers was looking a bit shabby.
J.M. Barrie: Please, Mary, stop.
Mary Ansell Barrie: Maybe she can send over some of the things we've run short on. My husband, for example. We rarely see him in this house.
J.M. Barrie: That hasn't seemed to bother you for some time now.
J.M. Barrie: You needn't steal my journal to get to know me, Mary.
Mary Ansell Barrie: No, I suppose I could just go see the plays. I was hopelessly naive when I married you. I imagined that brilliant people disappeared to some secret place where good ideas floated around like leaves in autumn, and I hoped at least once you would take me there with you.
J.M. Barrie: There is no such place.
Mary Ansell Barrie: Yes there is: Neverland.
Mary Ansell Barrie: No, I suppose I could just go see the plays. I was hopelessly naive when I married you. I imagined that brilliant people disappeared to some secret place where good ideas floated around like leaves in autumn, and I hoped at least once you would take me there with you.
J.M. Barrie: There is no such place.
Mary Ansell Barrie: Yes there is: Neverland.
