William Powell Quotes

Nick Charles The murderer is right in this room. Sitting at this table. You may serve the fish.

Dancer Have you ever been thrown out of a place, Mr. Charles?

Nick Charles Let's see. How many was it up to yesterday, Mrs. Charles?

Nora Charles Well, uh, how many places were you in, Mr. Charles?

Nora Charles Nickie, have you any pictures of yourself taken as a baby?

Nick Charles No.

Nora Charles Aww, that's a shame. I want to see what you looked like.

Nick Charles I'll have some taken in the morning.

Nick Charles Let's get something to eat, I'm thirsty.

Nora Charles I suppose we ought to decide where we're going.

Nick Charles Why, do you care?

Nora Charles No, but I haven't any clothes.

Nick Charles Well, what's the difference? Saves you the trouble of packing. And I don't need anything in the world, darling, but you... and a toothbrush.

Godfrey Mike, I wouldn't worry. Prosperity's just around the corner.

Mike Yeah. It's been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner. Well Duke, I'm gonna turn in. Bon soir.

Nora Charles Are you packing?

Nick Charles Yes dear, I'm putting away this liquor.

Nick Charles How do you do? I'd like to get this gal out of the woman's tank.

Prison Matron Oh, yes. Is this the one that was doing the fan dance?

Nick Charles Fan dance?

Prison Matron Yes.

Nick Charles Well, if it is, she's been holding out on me.

Nick Charles Have you made any New Year's resolutions?

Nora Charles Not yet. Any complaints or suggestions?

Nick Charles A few.

Nora Charles Which?

Nick Charles Complaints.

Nora Charles All right shoot.

Nick Charles Well, you don't scold, you don't nag, and you look far too pretty in the mornings.

Nora Charles All right, I'll remember: must scold, must nag, musn't be too pretty in the mornings.

Nick Charles Good morning!

Lieutenant Abrams Good evening.

Nick Charles Uh, yes, good evening. Will you have some breakfast?

Lieutenant Abrams Thanks, I just had dinner.

Nick Charles I give up.

Nick Charles Hey, would you mind putting that gun away? My wife doesn't care, but I'm a very timid fellow... All right, shoot. I mean, uh, what's on your mind?

Godfrey Who are you?

Irene I'm Irene. That was my sister Cornelia you pushed in the ash pile.

Godfrey How'd you like to have me push Cornelia's sister into an ashpile?

Irene Oh, I don't think I'd like that.

Godfrey Then you'd better get out of here.

Irene You bet.

Godfrey Wait a minute. Sit down.

Irene I'm sitting.

Another bum What's up Duke? Need some help?

Godfrey No thanks boys. I've got everything under control. Are you a member of this hunting party?

Irene I was, but I'm not now. Are they all forgotten men too?

Godfrey Yes, I guess they are maybe. Why?

Irene It's the funniest thing. I couldn't help but laugh. I've wanted to do that ever since I was six years old...Cornelia thought she was going to win, and you pushed her in a pile of ashes. Ha! Ha! Ha!

Godfrey Do you think you could follow an intelligent conversation for just a moment?

Irene I'll try.

Godfrey That's fine. Do you mind telling me just what a scavenger hunt is?

Irene Well, a scavenger hunt is exactly like a treasure hunt, except in a treasure hunt you try to find something you want and in a scavenger hunt, you try to find something that nobody wants.

Godfrey Hmmm, like a forgotten man?

Irene That's right, and the one that wins gets a prize. Only there really isn't a prize. It's just the honor of winning, because all the money goes to charity, that is, if there's any money left over, but then there never is. You know I've decided I don't want to play any more games with human beings as objects. It's kind of sordid when you think of it, I mean, when you think it over.

Nick Charles And as a family friend, you obtained $20,000.00 on short notice. On January First. A BANK HOLIDAY!!

Irene Could you tell me why you live in a place like this when there are so many other nice places?

Godfrey You really want to know?

Irene Well, I'm very curious.

Godfrey It was because my real estate agent felt that the altitude would be very good for my asthma.

Irene My uncle has asthma.

Godfrey No! Well, now there's a coincidence.

Nick Charles Who was that?

Nora Charles Oh, you wouldn't know them, darling. They're respectable.

Irene You're my responsibility and someone has to take care of you.

Godfrey I can take care of myself.

Irene You can't look me in the eye and say that. You love me and you know it. You know, there's no sense in struggling against a thing when it's got you. It's got you and that's all there is to it. It's got you!

Irene It should last us for a week, anyway.

Godfrey It's a wonder you didn't have the foresight to bring a minister and a license.

Irene It's funny. I never thought of that.

Irene Every place I went, everybody was Godfrey...when I get in a cab, the driver is Godfrey and I'd say, this is his chariot and he's taking me up to his clouds to his castle on the mountains.

Godfrey ...I've been doing some things also. I've been trying to do things that I thought would make you proud of me....You helped me to find myself and I'm very grateful.

Irene You'd make a wonderful husband.

Godfrey Oh, I'm afraid not. You see, I know how you feel about things...Well, you're grateful to me because I helped you to beat Cornelia and I'm grateful to you because you helped me to beat life, but that doesn't mean that we have to fall in love.

Irene If you don't want to, but I'd make a wonderful wife.

Godfrey Not for me, I'm afraid. You see, I like you very much. I had a very bitter experience. But I won't bore you with that...You and I are friends and I feel a certain responsibility to you. And that's why I wanted to tell you first.

Irene Tell me what?

Godfrey Well, I thought it was about time that I was moving on.

Irene I won't cry, I promise.

Godfrey After all, I'm your protégé. You want me to improve myself, don't you?..You don't want me to go on just being a butler all my life, do you?

Godfrey That little fellow with the bundle of wood under his arm was Balinger of the Second National. When his bank failed, he gave up everything he had so that his depositors wouldn't suffer...You see, Tommy, there are two kinds of people. Those who fight the idea of being pushed into the river and the other kind.

Tommy Well, after all, things have always been this way for some people. These men are not your responsibility.

Godfrey There are different ways of having fun.

Tommy You have a peculiar sense of humor.

Godfrey Over here, we have some very fashionable apartment houses. Over there is a very swanky nightclub. While down here, men starve for want of a job. How does that strike your sense of humor?

Tommy What's all this leading to?

Godfrey Tommy, there's a very peculiar mental process called thinking. You wouldn't know much about that. But when I was living here, I did a lot of it. One thing I discovered was that the only difference between a derelict and a man is a job.

Molly There's one every day at this hour. They're dropping in and out all the time.

Godfrey Why is that?

Molly Some get fired, some quit.

Godfrey Is the family that exacting?

Molly No, they're that nutty.

Nick Charles You see, when it comes to words like that, an illiterate person...

Polly Byrnes Whaddaya mean "illiterate"? My father and mother were married right here in the city hall!

Nick Charles Having a good time, Mrs. Charles?

Nora Charles It couldn't be better.

Godfrey You belong to that unfortunate category that I would call the Park Avenue brat. A spoiled child who has grown up in ease and luxury and who has always had her own way and whose misdirected energies are so childish that they hardly deserve the comment even of a butler on the off-Thursday.

Cornelia How'd you like to make five dollars?...

Godfrey Well, I don't mean to seem inquisitive, but what would I have to do for it?

Cornelia All you have to do is go to the Waldorf Ritz Hotel with me and I'll show you to a few people and then I'll send you right back....Oh, if you must know, it's a game. You've probably heard about it - a scavenger hunt. If I find a forgotten man first, I win. Is that clear?

Godfrey Yes, quite clear. Shall I wear my tails or come just as I am?

Nick Charles The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a ] you shake to ] time, a ] to ] time, but a dry ] you always shake to ] time.

Godfrey People who take in stray cats say they make the best pets, Madame.

Nick Charles Honey, it's that man again...

Godfrey My purpose in coming here tonight was two-fold: firstly, I wanted to aid this young lady. Secondly, I was curious to see how a bunch of empty-headed nitwits conducted themselves. My curiosity is satisfied. I assure you it'll be a pleasure to go back to a society of really important people.

Godfrey There comes a turning point in every man's life, a time when he needs help. It happened to me also. Now this family helped me. I hope I repaid my debt. And I may add, some of the money went into a project of my own. I hope you won't mind sir...You see, with the aid of Tommy Gray, I was able to transmute a certain trinket into gold, then into stock, and then into pearls again....I've been repaid in many ways. I learned patience from Mr. Bullock. I found Mrs. Bullock at all times, shall we say, amusing.... You taught me the fallacy of false pride. You taught me humility....Miss Cornelia, there have been other spoiled children in the world. I happen to be one of them myself. You're a high-spirited girl. I can only hope that you use those high spirits in a more constructive way. And so, good-day.