Jonathan Pryce credited as playing...
Sam Lowry
- Sam Lowry: [showing her deleted file, freeing her] I've killed you! Jill Layton is dead.
- Jill Layton: Care for a little necrophilia? Hmmm?
- Sam Lowry: Excuse me, Dawson, can you put me through to Mr. Helpmann's office?
- Porter - Information Retrieval: I'm afraid I can't sir. You have to go through the proper channels.
- Sam Lowry: And you can't tell me what the proper channels are, because that's classified information?
- Porter - Information Retrieval: I'm glad to see the Ministry's continuing its tradition of recruiting the brightest and best, sir.
- Sam Lowry: Thank you, Dawson.
- Harry Tuttle: Bloody paperwork. Huh!
- Sam Lowry: I suppose one has to expect a certain amount.
- Harry Tuttle: Why? I came into this game for the action, the excitement. Go anywhere, travel light, get in, get out, wherever there's trouble, a man alone. Now they got the whole country sectioned off, you can't make a move without a form.
- Sam Lowry: My name's Lowry. Sam Lowry. I've been told to report to Mr. Warrenn.
- Porter - Information Retrieval: Thirtieth floor, sir. You're expected.
- Sam Lowry: Um... don't you want to search me?
- Porter - Information Retrieval: No sir.
- Sam Lowry: Do you want to see my ID?
- Porter - Information Retrieval: No need, sir.
- Sam Lowry: But I could be anybody.
- Porter - Information Retrieval: No you couldn't sir. This is Information Retrieval.
- Kurtzmann: [on Buttle] You see? The population census has got him down as "dormanted." Uh, the Central Collective Storehouse computer has got him down as "deleted."
- Sam Lowry: Hang on.
- [goes to a computer terminal]
- Kurtzmann: Information Retrieval has got him down as "inoperative." And there's another one - security has got him down as "excised." Administration has got him down as "completed."
- Sam Lowry: He's dead.
- Sam Lowry: Can you fix it?
- Harry Tuttle: No, I can't. But I can bypass it with one of these.
- [Holds up a bizarre device]
- Telegram Girl: [dancing wildly, while singing in an absurdly high soprano] A-a-a-a-a-a-A-a-a-a-a-a-a-A-a-a-a-a-a-a-A-A! Mrs Ida Lowry requests the pleasure of your COMPANYYYY! At her APARTMENT TONIIIIGHTT! For eight thirtee-EE-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-EE, to MIDNIGHTTT! To celebrate the completion of her recent cosmetic SURGERYYY! E-e-e-e-e-e-E-e-e-e-e-e-E! wwwWWAAAAAAIIIIIIIII!
- [very long pause, Sam glances around nervously]
- Sam Lowry: ummm... Thanks.
- Telegram Girl: It's reply paid.
- Sam Lowry: Is it?
- [telegram girl nods]
- Sam Lowry: oh... um... two, three,
- [singing]
- Sam Lowry: Mother, I sorry that I am unable to come to your parrrttty...
- Telegram Girl: You DON'T have to sing it!
- Sam Lowry: I don't?
- Mrs. Buttle: What have you done with his body?
- [sobs]
- Sam Lowry: It isn't being very helpful, Mrs. Buttle. I didnt have to come here, you know.
- Mrs. Ida Lowry: Sam! Can't you do something about these terrorists?
- Sam Lowry: It's my lunch hour. Besides, it's not my department.
- [Lime blows the dust from the keyboard, then presses a key. waits for something to happen]
- Lime: [worried and somewhat frustrated] Sod it, it's broken!
- Sam Lowry: You haven't switched it on.
- [presses a key, the computer starts]
- Lime: Oh, yes.
- [looks at Sam, waiting for him to say something]
- Lime: [convincingly] Look, you're putting me off, standing there. Why don't you go back to your office and I'll give you a knock when I finish?
- [Sam glares at him]
- Lime: I'm not going to to elope with her!
- Sam Lowry: Sorry, I'm a bit of a stickler for paperwork. Where would we be if we didn't follow the correct procedures?