Harold Fingleton Quotes in Swimming Upstream (2003)

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.