Frida (2002)

Alfred Molina: Diego Rivera

Photos 

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Quotes 

• Frida Kahlo : I just want your serious opinion.

  Diego Rivera : What do you care about my opinion? If you're a real painter, you'll paint because you can't live without painting. You'll paint till you die.

• Diego Rivera : [upon learning Frida has been unfaithful to him with Leon Trotsky]  You've broken my heart, Frida.

  Frida Kahlo : It hurts doesn't it? But why? It was just a fuck, like a handshake.

  Diego Rivera : No. I told you who I was when you married me.

  Frida Kahlo : Yes, you did, and I married you anyway. And, you promised to be loyal. You have been my comrade, my fellow artist... my best friend. But you've never been my husband.

• Diego Rivera : I'm here to ask you to marry me.

  Frida Kahlo : I don't need rescuing, Diego.

  Diego Rivera : I do.

  Frida Kahlo : [sighs]  I've lost the toes of one foot. My back is useless, I have an infection of the kidneys. I smoke, I drink, I curse. I can't have children. I have no money and a stack of hospital bills. Shall I keep going?

  Diego Rivera : It's practically a letter of recommendation.

• Diego Rivera : You know, I don't believe in God... but I thank him every day that he kept you safe for me.

  Frida Kahlo : Oh really?... I tell you he's got a lot of explaining to do.

• Frida Kahlo : Mmm! I always wanted a man with melones bigger than mine.

  Diego Rivera : You know what I've always loved?

  Frida Kahlo : What?

  Diego Rivera : A girl with cojones.

• Frida Kahlo : You've lost weight.

  Diego Rivera : And you've lost your toes.

  Frida Kahlo : Is that why you're here? To offer your condolences?

  Diego Rivera : I'm here to see how you are. How do you feel?

  Frida Kahlo : Tired of answering that question. Otherwise, like shit.

• Diego Rivera : Thank you.

  Frida Kahlo : For what?

  Diego Rivera : For making a fat, old, crazy Communist a happy man.

• Diego Rivera : Hijo de puta! That model, huh?

  Diego Rivera : Yes. It was just a fuck, that's all. I've given more affection in a handshake.

  Frida Kahlo : Well, that makes me feel so much better. Was she good, at least?

  Diego Rivera : Not very.

  Frida Kahlo : Too bad. She had such a great ass.

• Diego Rivera : There was this skinny kid with these eyebrows shouting up at me, "Diego, I want to show you my paintings!" But, of course, she made me come down to her, and I did, and I've never stopped looking. But I want to speak about Frida not as her husband, but as an artist. I admire her. Her work is acid and tender... hard as steel... and fine as a butterfly's wing. Loveable as a smile... cruel as... the bitterness of life. I don't believe... that ever before has a women put such agonized poetry on canvas.

  Frida Kahlo : [as she's brought into the gallery]  Shut up, panzon. Who died?

• Frida Kahlo : Don't think I am going to sleep with you just because you took me under your wing.

  Diego Rivera : Before you came along, I was painting murals and womanizing in peace.

• Diego Rivera : Is fidelity that important to you?

  Frida Kahlo : Loyalty is important to me. Can you be loyal?

• [They kiss for the first time and all the lights in the street turn on when they separate] 

  Frida Kahlo : Did you arrange for that?

  Diego Rivera : Cost me a fortune.

• Diego Rivera : [to the dog who has just urinated on his painting]  Lord Xolotl, Prince of darkness - you are the best art critic there is. Only you see what shit this country has made of me.

• Lupe Marín : [upon seeing Diego's naked model]  Why is this whore still here? Huh? Tell me, tell mi amor, are you planning to have her after lunch? Or have you fucked her already?

  Diego Rivera : Lupe, please don't start.

  Lupe Marín : You think I don't know what's going on, you think I am an idiot?

  Diego Rivera : I can't work like this.

  Lupe Marín : Yes you can. Your food and your slut. That's all you need to paint your pinche murals!

  [throws the basket of food at Diego] 

  Diego Rivera : HEY! Get out!

  Lupe Marín : And don't come home! Don't come home and give me one of your speeches! About your artists, and the people and your fucking revolution! You only care about yourself, you piece of shit!

• Diego Rivera : Sex is like pissing. People take it much too seriously. In Russia, oh, my God, in Russia, everyone was fucking like rabbits.

  Frida Kahlo : Well, this isn't Russia.

• Nelson Rockefeller : Señor Rivera, I must ask you one last time to reconsider your position.

  Diego Rivera : I will not compromise my vision.

  Nelson Rockefeller : In that case, this is your fee, paid in full, as agreed, but your services are no longer required.

  Diego Rivera : It's my painting!

  Nelson Rockefeller : On my wall.

  Diego Rivera : It's the people's wall, you bastard!

• [last lines] 

  Frida Kahlo : Happy silver.

  Diego Rivera : It's not for two more weeks.

  Frida Kahlo : Seventeen days.

• Diego Rivera : [after learning that Frida is pregnant]  I cannot bare to think of you in pain.

  Frida Kahlo : I'm used to pain.

• Diego Rivera : Unfortunately, I'm physiologically incapable of fidelity.

  Frida Kahlo : Oh, really?

  Diego Rivera : Yes. A doctor acquaintance of mine confirmed this.

  Frida Kahlo : What a convenient diagnosis.

• Diego Rivera : So much for lunch. Although, I could eat you, perhaps. I-I've eaten female flesh before. Yeah. Yes. Wrapped up in - tortillas. Tastes like - the tenderest young - pig.

• Diego Rivera : Do you know Alvarez Bravo?

  Frida Kahlo : I know his work. It's good.

  Diego Rivera : I'll introduce you to him. He'll want to photograph you.

  Frida Kahlo : Without clothes, of course.

  Diego Rivera : Of course.

• Frida Kahlo : Some people have told me not to trust what you say. They say if a girl asks your opinion, and she's not a complete fright, you'll gush all over her. I need you to tell me one thing honestly - do you actually believe that I should continue to paint?

  Diego Rivera : Yes.

• Diego Rivera : That's the thing about these radicals. They're a little dangerous, but they definitely throw the best parties.

• Diego Rivera : What if I told you that easel painting like yours is finished, that it's headed for the trash like other elitist, bourgeois pastimes?

  Frida Kahlo : I'd say cut the propaganda.

• David Siqueiros : Some people have to get shot in a revolution, you know.

  Diego Rivera : Well, I prefer evolution. Educate the poor. Mobilize the workers. Rise like a slow tide. But you - you'll have your revolution and kill half the poor to save them.

  David Siqueiros : Diego, this from a Communist who's getting rich painting for the government and wealthy patrons?

  Diego Rivera : I can't help it if the rich have good taste.

  David Siqueiros : The rich don't have good taste. They pay someone to have good taste for them. they don't hire you because you are good. They hire you because you assuage their sense of guilt. They use you, Diego, and you are too vain to see it.

• Diego Rivera : He had to run for his life. Stalin would have had him shot. That's his version of socialism, kill anyone who disagrees with you.

• Frida Kahlo : You can't be true to only one woman.

  Diego Rivera : True, yes. Faithful, no.

• David Siqueiros : Bad-mouth him all you want, Diego. But while we have been talking about socialism over drinks at parties for 10 years, Stalin is making it work.

  Diego Rivera : What?

  David Siqueiros : He's achieving it.

  Diego Rivera : Achieving what? His only big idea so far is to throw out all the real thinkers in the land.

• Frida Kahlo : My mother was wrong about you, you know? She said you were an elephant. But you're not. Elephants are strong and courageous, and they defend their mates. You're a toad. You even look like a toad.

  Diego Rivera : And you look like a dog. Dove! Dove! Did I say "dog"? No, I meant "dove." You are my little paloma.

• Diego Rivera : I was at the Ministry explaining why a history of the Mexican people is an appropriate subject for the Mexican National Palace.

  Frida Kahlo : Again?

  Diego Rivera : When I work, they scream about my politics. When I don't work, they scream about the delays. It's a farce.

• Diego Rivera : [showing his latest drawing]  What do you think?

  Diego Rivera : The tits lack - gravity.

• Diego Rivera : It is all here. The might, the power, the energy. The sadness. The glory and youthfulness of our American lands.

• Diego Rivera : I've been offered a show in New York. A solo exhibition at the new Modern Museum. It would be a wonderful entree. I could get commissions out of it. I thought you'd be excited.

  Frida Kahlo : They don't care that you're a Communist pig?

  Diego Rivera : They can't afford to. All the greatest painters are Communist pigs.

• Diego Rivera : I put socialism on the government walls. I've got the fascists calling me the most dangerous subversive in the country, and I'm the traitor to the party?

  Frida Kahlo : Soon we'll have no one left to drink with.

• Nelson Rockefeller : The work is thrilling, as always. But, a portrait of Vladimir Lenin will offend many people; in particular, my father. You see, you're putting me in an impossible position. So I'm asking you to please change this one detail.

  Diego Rivera : It's against my principles.

  Nelson Rockefeller : Yes, well, you've adjusted your principles to come to our parties and eat at our table, so I hope you will reconsider.

• Diego Rivera : You'd seen my work. You knew my politics when you hired me.

  Nelson Rockefeller : Yes.

  Diego Rivera : I showed you the sketches. I discussed them with you and your father.

  Nelson Rockefeller : Yes.

  Diego Rivera : So, what the hell were you expecting from me? A line of dancing girls?

  Nelson Rockefeller : No, but nor was I expecting a portrait of Lenin.