Death Becomes Her (1992)
Isabella Rossellini: Lisle Von Rhuman
Photos
Quotes
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Madeline Ashton : Bottoms up!
[Madeline drinks the potion]
Lisle Von Rhoman : Now, a warning.
Madeline Ashton : NOW a warning?
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Lisle Von Rhuman : This is life's ultimate cruelty. It offers us a taste of youth and vitality, and then it makes us witness our own decay.
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Lisle Von Rhuman : Go on... Drink it... It is the completion of your life's work. You gave other people youth and wasted your own! Drink. And you will be able to work again forever! Drink... drink, Dr. Menville. You owe yourself another chance! Drink! It's the right choice! The *only* choice! Drink! SEMPRE VIVE! LIVE FOREVER!
Ernest Menville : Then what?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What?
Ernest Menville : Then what happens?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What?
Ernest Menville : I don't want to live forever. I mean, it sounds good, but what am I gonna do? What if I get bored?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What?
Ernest Menville : And what if I get lonely? Who am I gonna hang around with, Madeleine and Helen?
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Lisle : Drink that potion, and you'll never grow even one day older. Don't drink it, and continue to watch yourself rot.
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[Lisle scolds one of her "boys"]
Lisle Von Rhoman : Make some room for my friend, for Chrissake. But... keep your ass handy.
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Lisle Von Rhoman : You're scared as Hell... of yourself. Of the body you once knew.
Madeline Ashton : I beg your pardon?
Lisle Von Rhoman : I am the one who understands. I am the one who knows your secret.
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Lisle Von Rhoman : How old would you guess I am? C'mon, don't try to flatter me.
Madeline Ashton : Thirty-eight?
[Lisle Von Rhoman glares at her]
Madeline Ashton : TWENTY-eight... no, twenty-three...
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Ernest Menville : [after the sample of potion] Oh my god...
Lisle Von Rhuman : Oh! Thank you!
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[Lisle has just stabbed Ernest's finger with the dagger]
Ernest Menville : Ah! Wha-what are you doing?
Lisle Von Rhuman : I'm loving you.
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Lisle : He won't get far. Not at his age.
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Lisle : We are creatures of the spring, you and I.
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Lisle : You are like Don Quixote, tilting at Nature's windmills.
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Lisle Von Rhoman : Go on... Drink it... It is the completion of your life's work. You gave other people youth, and wasted your own! Drink. And you will be able to work again- forever! Drink... Drink, Dr. Menville... You owe yourself another chance! Drink! It's the right choice! The *only* choice! Drink! SEMPRE VIVE! LIVE FOREVER!
[Crash of thunder and lightning]
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Lisle Von Rhuman : [Emerges from her pool wearing only high heels] I hope you don't mind that Harry and Dick had to dress you... You were inproperly attired, for the occasion.
Ernest Menville : What occasion?
Lisle Von Rhuman : I'm throwing a party upstairs... I throw one every Spring, for my clients.
Ernest Menville : All right... ok... what do you want with me?
Lisle Von Rhuman : For you... I'd like to give a present... The gift of life and youth, forever...
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Lisle Von Rhuman : So warm, so full of life. This is life's ultimate cruelty. It offers us the taste of youth and vitality. And then, it makes us witness our own decay.
Madeleine : Well, it is the natural law.
Lisle Von Rhuman : Oh, screw the natural law!
[She opens a box to reveal a vile containing a potion]
Madeleine : What is that?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What you came for, a touch of magic in this world obsessed with science. A tonic, a potion.
Madeleine : What does it do?
Lisle Von Rhuman : How old would you guess I am?
Madeleine : I wouldn't.
[Continues looking at the potion vial]
Lisle Von Rhuman : Come on, don't try to flatter me.
Madeleine : 38.
[Lisle looks insulted]
Madeleine : Oh, 28. 3... 23.
Lisle Von Rhuman : I am 71 years old! That's what it does. It stops the aging process dead in its tracks and forces it into retreat. Drink that potion and you'll never grow even one day older. Don't drink it, then continue to watch yourself rot.
Madeleine : How much is it?
Lisle Von Rhuman : The sordid topic of coin, I'm afraid, is not so simple. The cost, you see, it's different for everyone.
Madeleine : Well, for me, how much?
[She does the arithmetic on a notepad, while Madeline tries to peak; she holds up the paper, showing the price]
Madeleine : Well, thank you very much. I think I should be going.
Lisle Von Rhuman : SIT!
[Madeleine sits]
Lisle Von Rhuman : Hold out your hand.
[She stabs Madeline's left index finger with a dagger]
Madeleine : OWWWW! WHAT ARE YOU, NUTS?
Lisle Von Rhuman : Watch.
[She dips the tip of the dagger into the potion, then drips the small drop into Madeline's wound, which takes the age of Madeline's left hand]
Madeleine : Check okay?
Lisle Von Rhuman : Fine.
[as Madeleine takes out her checkbook and begins writing out a check]
Lisle Von Rhuman : But you must make me a promise. The secret that we share must never become public. You may continue your career for 10 years, 10 years of perfect unchanged beauty. But at the end of that time, before people become suspicious, you have to disappear from public view forever. You can retire. You can stage your own phony death or... as one of my clients simply said, "I want to be alone".
Lisle Von Rhuman : No! She's not!
[Lisle nods reaffirmingly]
Lisle Von Rhuman : Wow!
[Madeleine hands Lisle the check, as Lisle hands Madeleine the potion vial]
Madeleine : Bottoms up.
[She drinks the potion]
Lisle Von Rhuman : Now a warning.
Madeleine : *Now* a warning?
Lisle Von Rhuman : Take care of yourself. You and your body are going to be together a long time, be good to it. Simpre vive: Live forever.
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Lisle Von Rhuman : [Lisle is about to give Madeline a potion that grants eternal youth and beauty] But you must make me a promise. The secret that we share must never become public. You may continue your career for ten years. Ten years of perfect, unchanged beauty. But at the end of that time, before people start to become suspicious, you have to disappear from public view forever. You can retire, you can stage your own phony death, or... as one of my clients simply said, I want to be alone.
Madeline Ashton : No. She...
Lisle Von Rhuman : [Lisle nods]
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Lisle Von Rhuman : [the potion of eternal life] A touch of magic in a world obsessed with science.
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[Ernest wake up next to a swimming pool dressed in a suit. Men enter the room as Lisle swims naked]
Lisle Von Rhuman : I'm glad to see you are awake, Dr Menville.
[She exits the swimming pool]
Lisle Von Rhuman : I hope you don't mind, that Harry and Dick had to dress you. You were improperly attired for the occasion
[One of Lisle's men wrap her in a towel]
Ernest Menville : What occasion?
[Lisle drops the towel, exposing herself]
Lisle Von Rhuman : I'm throwing a party upstairs. I throw one every spring, for my clients.
[One of Lisles men dress her in a gown who them approaches Ernest]
Ernest Menville : Alright, okay. What do you want with me?
Lisle Von Rhuman : To you. I would like to give a present. The gift of life and youth, forever.
[Lisle unveils the egg container]
Lisle Von Rhuman : I saw your wife and friend. You did brilliant work. Show me your hand.
Lisle Von Rhuman : Come on, I won't bite.
[Lisle pricks Ernest's finger with the dagger]
Ernest Menville : Ooof..What are you doing?
Lisle Von Rhuman : I'm loving you.
[Lisle pulls the ribbon from the egg container which unveils the vial of potion, which she takes out and places on the table. Opening the vial, she dips the tip of the dagger into the potion. She runs the tip of the dagger over the wound of Ernest's finger which causes the potion to enter his blood stream which heals his wound and rejuvenates his hand]
Ernest Menville : My God...
Lisle Von Rhuman : Oh, Oh thank you!
[Lisle picks up the vial and gives it to Ernest]
Lisle Von Rhuman : But don't be modest. That's what you do. This is what you've always done. Stop time in people's faces and in their hands. You are like Don Quixote, tilting at nature's windmill. Drink it. Go on
[Ernest removes the top of the vial as Lisle's Men take a knee]
Lisle Von Rhuman : It is the completion of your life's work. You gave other people youth, and wasted your own. Drink, and you'll be able to work again forever. Drink. Drink Dr Menville. You owe yourself another chance. Drink. It's the right choice.! The only choice!
[Ernest prepares to drink the potion]
Lisle Von Rhuman : Drink! SIEMPRE VIVA! LIVE FOREVER!
[Ernest hesitates]
Ernest Menville : Then what?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What?
Ernest Menville : Then what happens?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What?
Ernest Menville : I don't wanna live forever, I mean it sounds good, but what am I gonna do? What if I get bored?
Lisle Von Rhuman : What?
Ernest Menville : And, what if I get lonely? Who am I gonna hang around with? Madeline and Helen? What if something happens to me? What if I get maimed? What if I get shot? What if someone pushes me down. What if I fall down a flight of stairs or something?
Lisle Von Rhuman : But you'll never grow old.
Ernest Menville : Yes. But everybody else will. I'll have to watch everyone around me die. I don't think this is right. This is not a dream. This is a nightmare! You people all have to be stopped!
Lisle Von Rhuman : Dick! Tom! Harry! Get the potion from him!
[Ernest picks up the dagger and throws it at the light switch darkening the room and escapes as Lisle's men try to stop him]
Ernest Menville : Relax. He won't get far. Not at his age.
