Fallen Angel (1981 TV Movie)

Dana Hill: Jennifer Phillips

Quotes 

• Jennifer Phillips : [voice trembling]  Howard, I do think that you love me. All of us. And I tried to believe everything was right - normal, like you said - but I know now it wasn't. And you don't understand it, and you have to. Maybe I was a wh...

  [intends to say "whore", but trails off] 

  Jennifer Phillips : I'm not anymore.

  [rides away on her bicycle] 

• Howard Nichols : Yes?

  Sherry Phillips : Mrs. Krebs, the manager?

  [Howard unlatches the chain and opens the door] 

  Sherry Phillips : [rushes into the apartment, physically attacking Howard in a fit of rage]  It was YOU!

  Jennifer Phillips : Mommy!

  Howard Nichols : [attempting to shield himself from Sherry's hands and fists]  Please don't! Don't, please!

  Sherry Phillips : You bastard!

  [pounds Howard with her fists as he falls to the floor] 

  Howard Nichols : [trying to shield himself from the blows]  Don't! Stop! I was getting her to come home!

  Jennifer Phillips : Mommy, stop!

  Sherry Phillips : What kind of monster are you? You are not a monster, you are worse!

  Howard Nichols : [retreating towards the couch]  You don't understand.

  Sherry Phillips : Understand? Oh my God, I understand; look at these children! I finally understand!

  Howard Nichols : Please, listen...

  Sherry Phillips : I listened, all right? Get away from her!

  [slaps Howard some more] 

  Sherry Phillips : God! I saw that window; before, I hoped - I really hoped - that this was your second apartment. I hoped it wasn't you!

  Howard Nichols : I love those kids better than their parents! Better than you!

  Sherry Phillips : After what you've done to them? Come on, Jennifer.

  Howard Nichols : I've taken them places; I bought them things!

  Sherry Phillips : You have used them! Let's go, boys.

  Howard Nichols : I've given them love!

  Sherry Phillips : Love?

  [to the boys, insistent] 

  Sherry Phillips : Let's go!

  Howard Nichols : I've given them love!

  Sherry Phillips : Love? Oh, my God!

  [to Jennifer and the boys] 

  Sherry Phillips : Go!

  Howard Nichols : I never hurt you. Any of you! Don't leave, please; you're the most important things in my life.

  [steps into the hall, where Sherry, Jennifer and the boys are making their exit] 

  Howard Nichols : I love you all very, very, very much!

  Sherry Phillips : [sees Jennifer looking back at Howard as he pleads]  Come on, honey; let's go!

  Howard Nichols : Please don't hurt me!

  [watches as they exit the building, then steps back inside the boys' apartment, realizing he'll soon be arrested for what he's done, now on the verge of tears] 

  Howard Nichols : Please don't say anything.

• Howard Nichols : [trying to convince Jennifer to pose nude for a photo shoot]  I won't hurt you; Fred and I, we said we'd never hurt you.

  Jennifer Phillips : Howard, I don't want to.

  Howard Nichols : Yes, but I want you to. I need your help, I need you very much. Does anyone in the world need you? Your mother? Her boyfriend?

  [shakes head] 

  Howard Nichols : I need you, I want you.

  Jennifer Phillips : But it's wrong.

  Howard Nichols : Some people think so; I've shown you people who don't. I want you to do it, Angel; if you don't, you'll lose me. I'm all you have.

  Jennifer Phillips : [near tears, voice starting to crack]  My mom...

  Howard Nichols : Have you thought about when they get married? They could send you away. He certainly doesn't want you; who wants to raise someone else's kid?

  Jennifer Phillips : Howard, I can't. I like you...

  Howard Nichols : No, no, no! You love me, Angel, love me. And I love you! I'm all you have. Help me?

  Jennifer Phillips : [sniffling]  I want to, but...

  Howard Nichols : [taking a more ominous tone]  I'd have to send Fred back! I couldn't let you keep him after hurting me.

  Jennifer Phillips : [shaking]  Fred never hurt any...

  Howard Nichols : But you'd hurt me! And you know how they kill dogs in those places. They put them in a chamber; no windows, no air, black. Then they push a button, a small button, that literally explo...

  Jennifer Phillips : STOP IT!

  [crying] 

  Howard Nichols : It's up to you, Angel. Only you...

• Jennifer Phillips : [in voice-over, reading the note she left for her mother before running away]  I don't blame you for hating me, 'cause it's all true. I couldn't look at you once more without you knowing. I know you'll never want to see me again, but I do love you and Daddy. Don't hate me too much.

• Howard Nichols : [spotting Jennifer at the rec center]  Hi, Angel. What are you doing here?

  Jennifer Phillips : Here's all I got.

  Howard Nichols : But I thought you were gonna stay home for a few days.

  Jennifer Phillips : Mom found out.

  Howard Nichols : [frowning]  What? How?

  Jennifer Phillips : An ad. You know, in one of your dumb magazines?

  Howard Nichols : You told her it wasn't you?

  Jennifer Phillips : Well yeah, but...

  [trails off] 

  Jennifer Phillips : Look, I just can't stay home now.

  [flirtatiously] 

  Jennifer Phillips : I can stay with you.

  Howard Nichols : Oh, no. I'm on my own. People would ask questions.

  Jennifer Phillips : [more flirtatiously]  Deny. Say no.

  Howard Nichols : No, no. No way.

  Jennifer Phillips : You got the other kids places. How about me?

  [smiles as she seductively runs her finger up and down Howard's chest] 

  Jennifer Phillips : I'll make it up to you. I am getting older... and better.

• Howard Nichols : [first spots Jennifer, playing pinball at the local arcade]  You look exactly like someone who's having fun and wants some more.

  Jennifer Phillips : Huh?

  Howard Nichols : I'm Howard, or Howie.

  [throws a quarter onto the pinball machine] 

  Howard Nichols : Have fun.

  Jennifer Phillips : I don't think that I should...

  Howard Nichols : Don't? Never? Can't? Won't? Shouldn't? All bad words. Accept, enjoy: good words. Thanks is a good word, too.

  Jennifer Phillips : Thanks.

  Howard Nichols : I blew it. Thank you. You: very important word. Parents never think about you, right? Only themselves. Thank you?

  Jennifer Phillips : Thank you.

  Howard Nichols : Perfect.

  [points finger at Jennifer and makes "click" sound] 

  Howard Nichols : See you around.

• Sherry Phillips : [referring to Jennifer]  She's so come out of herself since she's been on your team. You're doing a terrific job!

  Howard Nichols : I just treat her, and well, all the kids like people, and care for them honestly. You know, if I do get mad at them, I let them know it, and tell them you only get mad at people you care about. I'm sure you both do that, too.

  Frank Dawson : Well, maybe not as good as you, but I try about the same.

  Jennifer Phillips : [approaches with a rubber ball]  Is this ours, Howie?

  Howard Nichols : No, those rubber turkeys are theirs.

  [puts arm around Jennifer's shoulder] 

  Howard Nichols : Hey, you know, if I had a daughter, I'd order up one just like this nut here.

  [nuzzles Jennifer close, as she smiles in response] 

• Howard Nichols : Were you a love child?

  Jennifer Phillips : [looks confused]  What's that?

  Howard Nichols : Did your folks plan you? Like, uh, "We want Jennifer", and along came Jennifer? Or were you "Oops, oh my God, we got Jennifer", like me?

  Jennifer Phillips : You mean like an accident?

  Howard Nichols : Well, it doesn't make you any better or worse. Just sort of says how your parents must have felt about you at the beginning.

• Jennifer Phillips : [sees various children being innocently photographed at the zoo, triggering flashbacks of her time with Howard] 

  Sherry Phillips : [laughing at an exhibit]  Did they teach you that in school, Jennifer, the difference between apes and gorillas?

  Jennifer Phillips : I think I can do it.

  Frank Dawson : [thinking she's referring to Sherry's question]  Good, Jennifer. Which is which?

  Sherry Phillips : No. I mean, I think I can testify.

  Sherry Phillips : No; it's behind us! You see, that's why we have to move.

  Frank Dawson : Are you sure?

  Sherry Phillips : I'm sure! She's got to go back to leading a normal life.

  Jennifer Phillips : You're sure because you're my mother. I'm not sure what Daddy would think. What do you think, Frank?

  Frank Dawson : [referring to Howard]  People say he's sick; I suppose they're right. One thing we both know for sure: that little girl in the mental hospital is sick, because of Howard. What do I tell you? I worry about you if you testify, I worry about other kids if you don't.

  Sherry Phillips : The last thing my little girl needs is more pressure. She's 12 years old!

  Frank Dawson : She's 13, and she's not a little girl anymore. This could be the most important decision Jennifer ever makes; she has to know that from somebody. From somebody besides lawyers and mothers.

  [to Jennifer] 

  Frank Dawson : You keep on thinking, Jennifer.