The Borrowers (1997)

John Goodman: Ocious P. Potter

Photos 

Quotes 

• Ocious P. Potter : Quick. Where's town planning I need to register a demolition.

  Town Hall Clerk : What's the magic word?

  Ocious P. Potter : Listen, I'm in a hurry. I got a house to demolish.

  Town Hall Clerk : I'm waiting.

  Ocious P. Potter : [impatiently]  So am I. Where is it?

  Town Hall Clerk : Up the stairs, take a right at the top.

  [Potter leaves] 

  Town Hall Clerk : [stops him]  Straight on through the door, climb four flights. I imagine at this point, you'll have a catch your breath. Scuttle up two more flights, bear left, and turn right at Sewage. You will then see a door in front of you. Do not go through the door, instead go through the door on your right. And you will see a fire escape on your left. Adjacent to the fire escape is the staircase. Go up the staircase three flights. Down the hall, turn right at Construction. Look out for Demolition. You can miss it.

  Ocious P. Potter : [confused]  Is there a faster way?

  Town Hall Clerk : [sarcastically enunciates]  Walk... quickly.

• Exterminator Jeff : [Introducing His Dog who is used for sniffing out Pests]  Say Hello to Smelly... I suspect You wonder how He got His Name.

  Ocious P. Potter : Well, I wasn't actually...

  [the Dog passes gas] 

  Ocious P. Potter : Whoa, that's awful, what do You feed that thing?

  Exterminator Jeff : I feed Him on cheese!

• [after being tied up by the Borrowers in the supply room] 

  Ocious P. Potter : [growling]  I *hate* you little people!

  Arrietty 'Ett' Clock : [sarcastically]  Aw, that's a shame. Because we love you!

• [In an attempt to attack Peagreen, Potter swings his hammer into a lightbulb and is electrocuted - standing frozen with his hair out of place and a frozen smile on his face] 

  Ocious P. Potter : [high-pitched voice]  Turn... off... the... e-lec-tri-ci-ty.

  Exterminator Jeff : Pardon?

  Ocious P. Potter : [still high-pitched]  The... power... Turn... off.. the... power...

  [Jeff realizes he means the light switch and does so] 

  Ocious P. Potter : [while collapsing to the ground]  Thank you.

• [Potter is about to drop Spiller into the machine] 

  Ocious P. Potter : Any last words?

  Spud Spiller : Good luck with the face, FATSO!

• [last lines] 

  Police Officer Steady : [after Potter's arrest]  Little people, were they?

  Ocious P. Potter : Yes, that's what I've been trying to tell you. They're everywhere. They're very good at climbing.

  Police Officer Steady : Hmm. So, what? I suppose they have little houses, do they? With little tables, little chairs?

  Ocious P. Potter : Yes, they do.

  Police Officer Steady : Hmm.

  [Steady laughs at this as do the whole station] 

• Arrietty 'Ett' Clock : [after taking the will from Potter]  Come on, squirt, we've got to hurry!

  Peagreen Clock : What for, idiot? We'll never get out of here without him seeing us.

  Arrietty 'Ett' Clock : Look, we'll get out when the bean is on his lunch hour. It's always the safest time with beans.

  Peagreen Clock : I still think we should wait here for mum and dad.

  Arrietty 'Ett' Clock : Peagreen, try to understand: there won't BE a here unless we give this will to Pete, before that nasty, cheating, thieving, evil, mean, greedy, vicious, ugly bean destroys our house.

  Ocious P. Potter : Ugly? Who are they calling ugly?

  [Potter takes his hammer and rips out a floorboard] 

  Peagreen Clock : [in terror]  Arrietty, we've been seen!

• Exterminator Jeff : [look at the objects by the floorboards]  Borrowers!

  Ocious P. Potter : You've seen this before?

  Exterminator Jeff : No, but I've heard the stories, but that's what I thought they were, just stories: the fly with the human head, the poker-playing rats, the giant radioactive cockroaches.

  Ocious P. Potter : Spare me the folklore, will you? Can you kill them or not?

  Exterminator Jeff : Yes. Extermination is my middle name. But why do you want me to exterminate the Borrowers?

  Ocious P. Potter : Because those little rats stole something very important from me. AND NOBODY STEALS FROM OCIOUS P. POTTER!

  Exterminator Jeff : You mean borrowed, don't you?

  Ocious P. Potter : What?

  Exterminator Jeff : Oh, well, they're Borrowers. They don't steal, they...

  [Potter gives him a disapproved look] 

  Exterminator Jeff : [goes serious]  Right!

• Ocious P. Potter : Well, what are you waiting for?

  Exterminator Jeff : [amazed]  Incredible! Amazing! Tiny little people, moving on the landing!

  Ocious P. Potter : [impatiently]  WOULD YOU PLEASE GET UP HERE AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP ME!

• Spud Spiller : Say "cheese"!

  [Potter is covered with massive amounts of liquid cheese and is sent down a slide covered in more cheese] 

  Ocious P. Potter : [sardonically]  "Cheese."

• [Jeff has taken to smashing holes in the wall repeatedly in anger; Potter mimes checking his watch and waits for Jeff to stop] 

  Ocious P. Potter : Feel better?

• Ocious P. Potter : [having been defeated by the Borrowers, a somewhat deranged Potter confesses to Officer Steady]  I've been seen. Borrowers. Thousands of tiny Borrowers. Quiet, inconspicuous, Cautious, alert. Good at climbing. Very good at climbing.

• [repeated line; Potter using a stethoscope to find Arietty and Peagreen behind the wall] 

  Ocious P. Potter : [to Jeff]  There.

• Spud Spiller : I'd keep very, very still if I were you!

  Ocious P. Potter : You think I'm afraid of twenty of you little creeps! Ha! I'll squish you!

  [tries to do so but due to being tied up very tightly he cannot reach] 

  Spud Spiller : Twenty? Did I say twenty?

• Ocious P. Potter : [to Jeff]  You find those 'borrowers', or I'll make sure you never kill in this town again!