The Lathe of Heaven (1980 TV Movie)

Bruce Davison: George Orr

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Quoting Chuang Tse.] 

  George Orr : Those whom heaven helps we call the sons of heaven. They do not learn this by learning. They do not work it by working. They do not reason it by using reason. To let understanding stop at what cannot be understood is a high attainment. Those who cannot do it will be destroyed on the lathe of heaven.

• George Orr : I was just thinking. Wouldn't it be funny if I wasn't the only one who could dream effectively? What if everybody could do it? And reality was being pulled out from under us all the time - and we didn't even know it? Well, it's just a thought.

• George Orr : No... *this* is the dream.

• Dr. Haber : Progress, George. Progress. We have made more progress in six weeks than humanity has made in the past six thousand years.

  George Orr : Well, do you think with all of this progress you could help me to find Heather?

  Dr. Haber : Who?

  George Orr : [Irritated]  Heather Lelache, the lawyer from HEW.

  Dr. Haber : Oh, yes. What happened to her?

  George Orr : I don't know, she's gone.

  Dr. Haber : Oh, she's out there somewhere.

  George Orr : I doubt it. She was brown, not gray.

• George Orr : Oh, my God... I just killed six billion people...

• George Orr : Uh, I'll be back in an hour, E'nememen Asfah.

  Alien Robot : Take afternoon. There is time.

  George Orr : Thanks.

  Alien Robot : To go is to return.

• Dr. Haber : Welcome to Dr. Haber's Palace of Dreams. Congratulations, George. You are the man of the hour. How do you feel today?

  George Orr : I haven't felt anything for days.

  Dr. Haber : [to his henchmen:]  You may go.

  [They leave] 

  Dr. Haber : Take it easy, George, take it easy! I know I've been working you very hard, but I think you'll agree it's been well worth the effort. Besides, today is a momentous occasion.

  George Orr : Well, I don't think I can take another big day.

  Dr. Haber : George, today I've cured you.

  [pause] 

  Dr. Haber : Don't you have anything to say?

  George Orr : Words fail me.

• George Orr : That's why I tried taking drugs to suppress my dreams. I just wanna get cured.

  Heather : Of drugs?

  George Orr : Of dreaming!

• Dr. Haber : Are you quite finished? Your negative approach to our...

  George Orr : It's your positive approach, that's the danger!

• Dr. Haber : That's right, George. The burden is now off your shoulders.

  George Orr : And it on to yours! You're out of your mind!

  Dr. Haber : Now you listen to me, George Orr! You come into my office with the greatest power the mankind has ever known and all you want to do is to be cured of it. The dreams don't work, you tell me. They go wrong, you tell me. Well, there's nothing wrong with the dreams, my friend. The problem lies with the dreamer!

• George Orr : By the way where is he?

  Dr. Haber : Who?

  George Orr : The alien.

  Dr. Haber : There are no aliens here, George. They are not permitted in this part of the building. They are unnatural. In fact, when I begin to dream they are the first thing I'm going to get rid of.