Read Shepherd Project’s discussion of Florence Foster Jenkins here.
Florence: Music has been and is my life. Music matters.
Florence: When I was 16, my father told me if I didn’t give up music and marry a banker, he’d cut me off.
Florence: I must warn you; I work very hard—maybe an hour a week, sometimes two.
Florence: [My father didn’t leave me as much as people think.] I couldn’t afford to pay more than 150.
McMoon: Per month!?
Florence: Per week!!! I’m not destitute!!!
Florence: It is true that a lot of singers my age seem to be on the decline, but I seem to get better and better! … [I’m so blessed.]
Florence: Do you think I’m ready for a concert?
Teacher: You’ve never been more ready.
Whitey: I think this might be too much for you.
Florence: Well, if Mr. Churchill had adopted that attitude, then Hitler would be standing on Buckingham palace!!
Whitey: [Once I realized I could be good, not great,] I was free from the tyranny of ambition. Is our life not happy? Is it not fun?
Whitey: The question now is whether you will stand by your patron [and friend] in her hour of need [or not]?
In response to someone calling the soldiers hoodlums: Hoodlums. Hoodlums who have been risking their lives for our country.
Florence: White have I done? I can’t!!!
Whitey: those men out there, they’ve seen horrors… They need joy. They need music. [They need you.]
Florence: But I’m afraid.
McMoon: We can do this.
Blonde: Applaud you a**holes. She’s singing her heart out!
Florence: Was everyone laughing at me the whole time?
Whitey: I was never laughing at you. Yours was the truest voice I’ve ever heard.
Florence: People may say I couldn’t sing, but no one can say I didn’t sing.
Whitey: Bravo, my love. Bravo.
Florence was Melotone records’ biggest seller of all time.
Florence’s performance at Carnegie Hall is their most requested performance of all time.
His performance with Florence was the highlight McMoon’s career—he never surpassed what they did together.