Memorable Quotes from Ethel Merman
7 quotesChaos Following a Reckless Driving Incident
Russell
Whoa! Hey d-did ya see it, the way he went sailing right out there? He just went sailing right out there.
Melville Crump
It was terrible, I m-a-mean just terrible. He musta been doin over eighty ya know.
Russell
An ambulance - we better, we oughta call an ambulance.
Dingy Bell
Oh...Oh look at that car.
Russell
He went sailing right out there.
Dingy Bell
How bout you doin ninety miles an hour?
Russell
I wasn't doin - he was passin me.
Dingy Bell
We weren't standin still when he passed us...
Russell
I never saw such a crazy guy in my life!...
Lennie Pike
Come on, let's get down there!
Russell
W...We're gonna go down there, you stay in the car.
[to Emmeline and Mrs. Marcus]
Emmeline
Now Russell, be careful, remember your condition.
Mrs. Marcus
Eh.
[gestures her hand with disdain]
Russell
Ooh, boy the way he just sailed out there.
[to himself; follows down after the group]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Unexpected Encounters in the Desert
Man in Car in Desert
Trouble? Having any trouble?
[drives and stops by]
Mrs. Marcus
Yes, and we don't need any help from you!
Man in Car in Desert
Well!
[offended; drives off]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Frantic Call for Help
Sylvester
Mama, who's with you? Where are you talking to me? Where are you?
[on the phone]
Mrs. Marcus
I'm with this truck driver at Peterson's garage in a place called Plaster City! And will you just shut up a minute so I can tell you what happened?!
[on the phone]
Sylvester
Now listen, Mommy, you listen to me close. You stay right there, because I'm coming, Mom. I'm coming to get you right now, Mom.
[on the phone]
Mrs. Marcus
Will you shut up and listen?!
[on the phone]
Sylvester
Mama, it's all right. Everything's gonna be all right, Mama. Your baby's coming to get ya. You just sit there. Sit there, relax, take it easy.
[on the phone]
Mrs. Marcus
Sylvester-!
[on the phone]
Sylvester
I'm coming to get you, Mom!
[on the phone]
Mrs. Marcus
Shut up and let me talk-!
[on the phone]
Sylvester
Everything is gonna be all right!
[on the phone; interrupting his mother; hangs up]
Lennie Pike
Well?
[to Mrs. Marcus]
Mrs. Marcus
So he's coming here. And I'm not to worry about a thing, because "everything is going to be all right". EXACTLY LIKE YOUR FATHER! A big, stupid, muscle-headed moron!
[to Lennie; in a calm shock; to Emmeline; shouting]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Debate Over Sylvester's Character and Reliability
Mrs. Marcus
Now for the last time! Are we calling Sylvester or not?!
Russell
No! We are not! And I'll tell you why not. Because your son Sylvester is an irresponsible, unreliable, big loudmouth no good bum! Who if he isn't a crook? It's because he doesn't have the brains or ambition even to BECOME a crook!
Col. Hawthorne
I say: Good show!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Blame and Greed in a Chaotic Pursuit
Benjamin
It's all your fault, It's your fault right from beginning to end!
[to Culpeper]
Col. Hawthorne
You know, even for a policeman, your behavior was ruddy outrageous!
Sylvester
Yeah, you could have taken a fair share like the rest of us, but no! You just had to go and grab up the whole scene, baby.
Dingy Bell
We had 350,000 bucks right in our hands.
Melville Crump
14 into $350,000...
Dingy Bell
Oh, shut up!
[groans]
Otto Meyer
I wish I knew what they're going to do to us. But no matter what happens to us... ...what happens to you, I hope will be worse!
[turns to Culpeper]
Culpeper
I don't think you have to worry about that. My wife is divorcing me; my mother in-law is suing me for damages; my daughter is petitioning the court to get her name changed; my pension has been revoked, and the ONLY reason, that you ten idiots will very likely get off lightly, is because the judge will have me up there...to throw the book at!
2nd Cabbie
Awww...that's tough!
[laughs along with the 3rd Cabbie who smiles to Culpeper]
Culpeper
I'd like to think that sometime, maybe 10 or 20 years from now, there will be something that I could laugh at, anything.
Mrs. Marcus
Now see here, you idiots, it's all your fault, because if you hadn't...!
[yelling at the bandaged men; slips on the banana peel and falls back-first on the floor]
Sylvester
Mama!
[horrified]
Mrs. Marcus
Don't you dare touch me! Get away from me! Let me go! Leave me alone...!!!
[yelling while being put on the stretcher and taken away by the doctors]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Cultural Differences in Accents and Perception
Col. Hawthorne
Jolly nasty accident there. Jolly lucky nobody was hurt.
Mrs. Marcus
Where did you get that funny accent? Are you from Harvard or something?
Col. Hawthorne
Harvard? Rather not. I'm English.
Mrs. Marcus
Sounds so foreign.
Col. Hawthorne
Really?
[eyes widen]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Uncertainty About New Arrivals
Sylvester
Who are they?
Mrs. Marcus
I don't know.
Sylvester
From this morning?
Mrs. Marcus
Yes.
Sylvester
Who is he?
Mrs. Marcus
I don't know.
Sylvester
Who is he?
Mrs. Marcus
I don't know.
Sylvester
Mama, how many people are mixed up in this thing? Who are they? Cabbies? Mama, this thing is like a convention.
[two cab drivers run by]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.