Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

Julia Stiles: Joan Brandwyn

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Giselle has been secretly seeing a married psychologist] 

  Betty Warren : Does he pay you for sex? I mean, at the rate you're going, you could make a fortune.

  Joan Brandwyn : Betty!

  Betty Warren : Everyone thinks so. Do you know what they say? They say you're a whore. And pretty soon, once they've all sampled you, they'll toss you aside like a used rag.

  Joan Brandwyn : Betty, stop! Now!

  Betty Warren : The men you love don't even want you! Your father doesn't want you!

  Giselle Levy : [to Connie]  I'm gonna meet you downstairs.

  Betty Warren : Professor Dunbar?

  Connie Baker : Betty, that's enough!

  Betty Warren : Everyone knows that you hide outside his house! It must be torturous running after a man who doesn't even care about you. Who's in love with someone else. Who hates you!

  Giselle Levy : Betty...

  Betty Warren : He *hates* you!

  [Giselle pulls Betty into a hug] 

  Betty Warren : Get off of me!

  [Betty struggles, but gives in a sobs on Giselle's shoulder] 

  Betty Warren : [about her husband]  He doesn't want me!

  Giselle Levy : [sympathetically]  I know...

• Katherine Watson : There are seven law schools within 45 minutes of Philadelphia. You can study and get dinner on the table by 5:00.

  Joan Brandwyn : It's too late.

  Katherine Watson : No, some of them accept late admissions! Now, I was upset at first, I can tell you that. When Tommy came to me at the dance and told me he was accepted to Penn, I thought, 'Oh God, her fate is sealed! She's worked so hard, how can she throw it all away?' But then I realized you won't have to! You can bake your cake and eat it too! It's just wonderful!

  Joan Brandwyn : We're married. We eloped over the weekend. It turned out he was petrified of a big ceremony, so we did a sort of spur-of-the-moment thing. Very romantic.

  [Katherine is stunned] 

  Joan Brandwyn : It was my choice, not to go. He would have supported it.

  Katherine Watson : But you don't have to choose!

  Joan Brandwyn : No, I have to. I want a home, I want a family! That's not something I'll sacrifice.

  Katherine Watson : No one's asking you to sacrifice that, Joan. I-I just want you to understand that you can do both.

  Joan Brandwyn : Do you think I'll wake up one morning and regret not being a lawyer?

  Katherine Watson : Yes, I'm afraid that you will.

  Joan Brandwyn : Not as much as I'd regret not having a family, not being there to raise them. I know exactly what I'm doing and it doesn't make me any less smart. This must seem terrible to you.

  Katherine Watson : I didn't say that. I...

  Joan Brandwyn : Sure you did. You always do. You stand in class and tell us to look beyond the image, but you don't. To you a housewife is someone who sold her soul for a center hall colonial. She has no depth, no intellect, no interests. You're the one who said I could do anything I wanted. This is what I want.

  Katherine Watson : [hugs]  Congratulations. Be happy.

  [walks away] 

• Connie Baker : And, it was perfect, romantic, we stayed up all night, talking.

  Joan Brandwyn : [to Giselle]  You're late, what happened to Sunday brunch?

  Giselle Levy : We stayed up all night, too. Not talking.

  Connie Baker : The psychoanalyst again.

  Giselle Levy : Divine exhaustion.

• Katherine Watson : It says here that you're pre-law. What law school are you going to go to?

  Joan Brandwyn : I hadn't really thought about that. After I graduate, I plan on getting married.

  Katherine Watson : And then?

  Joan Brandwyn : [confused]  And then... I'll be married.

• Joan Brandwyn : I've got a secret to tell you. I got accepted early to Yale Law School.

  Betty Warren : To *what*? Why? You don't want to be a lawyer!

  Joan Brandwyn : Maybe I do.

  Betty Warren : You won't switch brands of cold cream without asking me, but you applied to law school?

  Joan Brandwyn : On a lark. We never thought I'd get in.

  Betty Warren : Who's 'we'?

  Joan Brandwyn : Miss Watson. She practically filled out my application for me.

  Betty Warren : You've got to be kidding me. What right does she have? You're getting married!

  Joan Brandwyn : First of all, there's no ring on this finger. Second, I can do both. I can!

  Betty Warren : You are this close to getting you ever wanted. And this close to losing it.

• Katherine Watson : From the beginning, man has always had the impulse to create are. Can anyone tell me what this?

  Joan Brandwyn : "Wounded Bison", Altameera, Spain, about 1500 BC.

  Katherine Watson : Very good, Joan. Despite the age of these paintings, they are technically very sophisticated...

  Joan Brandwyn : Because of the shading, and the thickness of the lines as it moves over the hump of the bison. Is that right?

  Katherine Watson : Yes, that's exactly right. Next slide. This one, you are probably less familiar with. It was discovered by archaeologists in...

  Betty Warren : [dryly]  1879, Lascaux, France, dates back to 10 000 BC, singled out because of the flowing lines depicting the movement of the animal.

  [the class laughs] 

  Katherine Watson : Impressive. Name?

  Betty Warren : "Herd of Horses."

  Katherine Watson : I meant yours.

  Giselle Levy : We call her Flicka.

• Joan Brandwyn : You gave me a C.

  Katherine Watson : I'm kind.

  Joan Brandwyn : The assignment was to write about Bruegel. That's what I did.

  Katherine Watson : No, what you did was copy Strauss.

  Joan Brandwyn : I was referencing an expert.

  Katherine Watson : If I wanted to know what he thought, I'd buy his book.

• Connie Baker : [holding up a diaphragm]  This isn't what I think it is, is it?

  Joan Brandwyn : Where'd you get it?

  Giselle Levy : From the school nurse.

  Betty Warren : It's against the law!

  Giselle Levy : No, honey, it's a girl's best friend.

  Betty Warren : A certain kind of girl.

  Giselle Levy : Meet the last virgin bride.

  Betty Warren : Spencer is a gentleman.

  Giselle Levy : And even gentlemen have dicks.

  Connie Baker : Maybe I'll get one!

  Giselle Levy : What, a dick?

  Betty Warren : Don't be stupid, Connie!

  Connie Baker : [hurt]  Someone, somewhere, someday might be interested. Just in case, I'll be prepared.

  [Connie leaves, fighting back tears] 

  Joan Brandwyn : Was that necessary?

  Betty Warren : I was taught it's best to speak honestly.

  Giselle Levy : You're a bitch.