[John said he wasn't fucking Cynthia]

Ann: You never used to say the word "fucking."
[Accepting John's claim that he's not cheating on her]

Ann: I've just got all this time on my hands, and I just sit around and start inventing these, like, intricate scenarios...

[giggles]

Ann: And then I don't want to have wasted all my time, so I want to believe in them.
Ann: Did he touch you?

Cynthia: No.

Ann: Did you touch him?

Cynthia: No.

Ann: Did anybody touch anybody?

Cynthia: Well... yes.

Ann: Don't tell me... don't tell me... don't tell me. You didn't!

Cynthia: I did.

Ann: You didn't!

Cynthia: I did.

Ann: You didn't!

Cynthia: I did!
Ann: Nothing's what I thought it was. John's a bastard. Let's make a videotape.

Graham: No, I... ahem... I don't think that's a good idea.

Ann: Why not?

Graham: Because I don't think it's a choice that you'd make in a normal frame of mind.

Ann: And what would you know about a normal frame of mind?
Ann: So let me see, you said, um, you said that I should never take advice from someone that I haven't had sex with, right... right?

Graham: Basically.

Ann: Right. And, uh, *we* haven't had sex...

[giggle]

Ann: right?

Graham: So...

Ann: So, I, I, I guess from your own advice, I shouldn't take your advice.

Graham: I wouldn't.
Ann: So, all these are... are interviews, huh?

Graham: Uh, yes.

Ann: Can we watch one?

Graham: No, I'd - uh, no.

Ann: Why not?

Graham: Well, I... promised each of the subjects that no one would see the videotapes except for me.

Ann: What are the interviews about?

Graham: The interviews are about sex.
Ann: Well, what did he ask exactly?

Cynthia: Well, I don't want to tell you exactly.

Ann: You let a total stranger record your sexual life on videotape, but you won't tell your own sister?

Cynthia: Apparently.
Ann: What kind of "personal project"?

Graham: A personal project like anyone else's personal project. Mine's just a little more... personal, I guess.
Cynthia: Ann, I don't understand why this freaks you out so much. You didn't do it, I did. And if it doesn't bother me, why should it bother you?
Cynthia: If Ann got freaked out by these, there must be something sexual: are these tapes of you having sex with these girls?

Graham: No, not exactly.

Cynthia: Well, either you are or your aren't; which is it?

Graham: Why don't you let me tape you?

Cynthia: Doing what?

Graham: Talking.

Cynthia: About what?

Graham: About sex... your sexual history, sexual preferences.

Cynthia: What makes you think I'd discuss that with you?

Graham: Nothing.

Cynthia: Hmm. And you just want to ask me questions?

Graham: I just want to ask you questions.

Cynthia: That's all.

Graham: That's all.

Cynthia: Is this how you get off or something? Taping women talking about their sexual experiences?

Graham: Yes.
Ann: I want out of this marriage.

John Mullany: What?

Ann: I. Want. Out. Of. This. *Marriage.*
Cynthia: The organ itself seemed like a, a separate thing, um, a separate entity to me. I mean, when he finally pulled it out, and I could look at it and touch it, I completely forgot that there was a guy attached to it. I remember literally being startled when the guy spoke to me.
Cynthia: You know, I'd like to do it at your house sometime. I must admit, the idea of doing it in my sister's bed gives me a perverse thrill.
John Mullany: I'm sorry?

Graham: No, it's just, I, you know, I just think - right now I have one key and everything I own is in the car, and I just... I like that, you know? I mean, I just, if I get an apartment, that two keys, if I... get a job, you know, I might have to open or close, that's more keys, you know, buy some stuff, I'm afraid it's gonna get ripped off, or something, and I get more keys, and I just, I, you know, I just like having the one key, it's clean.

Ann: You're not gonna worry in losing them, I always lose my keys, I hate that.
John Mullany: Things are getting too complicated.

Cynthia: No... they're gettin' real simple.
[first lines]

Ann: Garbage. All I've been thinking about all week is garbage. I mean, I just can't stop thinking about it.
Ann: Anyway, being happy isn't all that great. I mean, the last time I was really happy... I got so fat. I must have put on 25 pounds. I thought John was gonna have a stroke.
Graham: One woman used up only 3 minutes, and another used three 2-hour tapes.
Graham: So, I don't... I don't understand, uh, what made you want to come here. I can't imagine Ann painted a very flattering portrait of me.

Cynthia: Yeah, well, see, um, I don't really listen to Ann when it comes to men. I mean, look at John, for Christ's sake.
Graham: You're right, I've got a lot of problems... But they belong to me.

Ann: You think they're yours, but they're not. Everybody that walks in that door becomes part of your problem. Anybody that comes in contact with you. I didn't want to be part of your problem, but I am. I'm leaving my husband, and maybe I would have anyway, but the fact is, is, I'm doing it now, and part of it's because of you. You've had an effect on my life.

Graham: This isn't supposed to happen. I've spent nine years structuring my life so this didn't happen.
[to Ann, the first time they meet]

Graham: Have you ever been on television?
John Mullany: You're lying to Ann, too.

Cynthia: Yeah, right, but I didn't take a vow in front of God and everyone to be faithful to Ann.
Ann: I think that um... I think that sex is overrated. I think that people place far too much importance on it, and I think that stuff about women wantin' it just as bad as men is crap. I mean I think that women want it, I just don't think that they want it for the same reason that men think they do.
Graham: I remember reading somewhere that men learn to love the person that they're attracted to, and that women become more and more attracted to the person that they love.
[last lines]

Ann: I think it's gonna rain.

Graham: [chuckles] It is raining.

Ann: Yeah.
Ann: You know, my therapist...

Graham: You're in therapy?

Ann: Aren't you?
Ann: Being happy isn't all that great. I mean... the last time I was... really happy... I got really fat.
Ann: I brought you this. I knew it was your birthday.

[Hands Cynthia a potted plant]

Cynthia: Thanks.

Barfly: It's a nice plant. Looks like a tablecloth.
Ann: I always lose my keys. I hate that.
[after doing a videotape, Cynthia is extremely horny]

Cynthia: [to John] Get your balls in the air and get your butt over here!

[after some wild, passionate sex]

John Mullany: Oh, God. You're on fire!
Ann: I want to know why you are the way you are!

Graham: And I'm telling you it's not any one thing that I can point to and say "That's why!" It doesn't work that way with people who have problems, Ann, it's not that neat, it's not hat tidy! It's not a series of little boxes that you can line up and count. Things just don't happen that way.
Ann: You can't possibly trust him. He's perverted.
Ann: That's beautiful... That's really beautiful.
Cynthia: [entering Graham's apartment uninvited and unannounced] I'm Cynthia Bishop

Graham: [looking confused] Who?

Cynthia: [interrupting] I'm Ann Mullaney's sister

Graham: The extrovert

Cynthia: She musta been in a good mood when she said that; she usually calls me 'loud.'

Graham: She called you that too!
Barfly: This is too much. I'm wearing red, you're wearing red. That's quite a coincidence...

Ann: Look, I'm married.

Barfly: Really? Are you very married?

Ann: Married enough

Barfly: Oh. Oh. I see. Well, that shouldn't stop us...

Ann: I'm just here to see my sister. OK?

Barfly: Oh, really? Who's your sister?... Is she married?
Barfly: It's a nice dress.

Ann: Thanks. I thought so, too.

Barfly: Looks like a tablecloth.
Barfly: OK, now, you're wearing blue, I'm wearing blue. Is this some sort of weird coincidence?

Ann: I don't think so.

Barfly: I think it's something more.

Ann: Do you live here?

Barfly: No. I'm just passing through.
Cynthia: I was eight years old, and, um, Michael Green, who was also eight, asked if he could watch me take a pee... And I said he could if I could watch him take one, too. So we went to the woods behind my house. And I got this feeling he was chickenin' out cos he kept sayin' "Ladies first!" So I pulled down my little panties and urinated, and he ran away before I even finished.

Graham: Was it a topic of conversation between you after that?

Cynthia: No! He kind of avoided me for the rest of the summer, and then his family moved away... To Cleveland, actually.

Graham: What a shame. When did you finally see a penis?
Graham: Do you have orgasms?

Ann: I don't think so. I mean, I guess, since I'm not sure, that I've never had one.
Ann: What did you think?

Graham: I thought about what you would look like having an orgasm.

Ann: I'd like to know what I look like havin' an orgasm.
John Mullany: Ann, answer me. Answer me, god dammit. Did he?

Ann: Yes.

[Prepares to slap Ann but backs off]

John Mullany: That backstabbing son of a bitch! Oh, Mr. Honesty, huh!
[having just seen Ann's videotape]

John Mullany: I wasn't going to say anything, 'cause I thought you'd be devastated. But looking at you now.

[snicker]

John Mullany: Yeah, I fucked Elizabeth. Before your problem. Hell, while you two were going out. She was nothing special. She was good in bed.

[beat]

John Mullany: She sure could keep a secret. That's about all I can say about her.

[after John leaves, Graham goes inside and destroys all the videotapes]

Sex, Lies, and Videotape Quotes

Extended Reading

Sex, Lies, and Videotape short comments

Jerad 2022-04-24 07:01:14

The story of seeing the soul through erotica. There are a few scenes that are very ingenious. The schedule of the scene where the male and female protagonists exchange their quiz identities is almost perfect, the lines are simple and sharp, and the rounds are well written. Soderbergh is really good, and the transition from independent films to commercial films is also smooth, more versatile.
Emanuel 2021-12-22 08:01:17

When Soderbergh created the character of Ann, all he thought of was Elizabeth McGovern (America's Past). But McGovern's agent hated the script so much that he never showed it to her. At that time, Laura, another artist under his banner, threatened to terminate the contract to take the role of Cynthia. Soderberg had no choice but to turn to Andy McDowell, not wanting to be surprised, and was selected after two very successful auditions...