Meet Me in St. Louis (1945) - Quotes

Tootie's Confession of Guilt

Tootie: [after tossing flour in Mr. Braukoff's face] I killed him.

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Navigating Expectations of Courtship and Engagement

Esther: I'm going to let John Truett kiss me tonight.

Rose: Esther Smith!

Esther: Well, if we're going to get married, I may as well start it.

Rose: Nice girls don't let men kiss them until after they're engaged. Men don't want the bloom rubbed off.

Esther: Personally, I think I have too much bloom. Maybe that's the trouble with me.

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A Child's Pride in Their City

Mr. Neely: [about St. Louis] It's a grand old town.

Tootie: It isn't a town, Mr. Neely. It's a city. It's the only city that has a world's fair. My favorite. Wasn't I lucky to be born in my favorite city?

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A Unique Perspective on Death and Mourning

Tootie: [about her doll] I expect she won't live through the night. She has four fatal diseases.

Mr. Neely: And it only takes one.

Tootie: But she's gonna have a beautiful funeral in a cigar box my Papa gave me, all wrapped in silver paper.

Mr. Neely: That's the way to go if you have to go.

Tootie: Oh, she has to go.

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Marriage Proposals and Personal Preferences

Esther: She may be loathe to say the things a girl's compelled to say to get a proposal out of a man.

Katie: Personally, I wouldn't marry a man who proposed to me over an invention.

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Family Dynamics and Declarations of Love

Agnes Smith: Roses are redJohn's name is TruettEsther's in loveAnd we always knew it.

Grandpa: They'll all be safe with me. I've got twelve guns in my room.

Katie: A lie's a lie, and dressed in white don't help it.

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A Girl's Unexpected Strength

John Truett: [to Esther] You've got a mighty strong grip for a girl.

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Beauty Sleep Is Not Necessary

John Truett: [to Esther] You don't need any beauty sleep.

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A Heartfelt Expression of Love and Longing

Mrs. Anna Smith: [singing] From my heart, a song of love, beseeching,Just for you, my longing arms are reaching,Time goes by, but we'll be together,You and I.

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Caution in Romantic Decisions and Familial Pressure

Mrs. Anna Smith: [to Rose] If I were you, I wouldn't commit myself one way or another...after all, we know very little about him. Why, we haven't even met his folks. Not a word of this to Papa. You know how he plagues the girls about their beaus.

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Fear of Being Treated Like a Criminal

Mr. Alonzo Smith: [to Mrs. Smith] Aren't you afraid to stay here alone with a criminal? That's what I'm being treated like.

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Questioning Family Dynamics and Belonging

Mr. Alonzo Smith: Just when was I voted out of this family?

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Frustration Over Fair Anticipation

Mr. Alonzo Smith: [to Esther and Rose, who are singing "Meet Me in St. Louis"] For heaven's sakes, stop that screeching! That song. The fair won't open for seven months. That's all everybody sings about or talks about. I wish everybody would meet at the fair and leave me alone.

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Tootie's Sympathy for Margaretta

Tootie Smith: Poor Margaretta!

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Tootie's Determination About Leaving St. Louis

Tootie Smith: [smashing her snowmen] Nobody's going to have them. Not everybody's going to New York. I'd rather kill them if we can't take them with us.

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Anticipation and Uncertainty in Waiting

Tootie Smith: [to Esther; Santa Claus] Did he come yet? I've been waiting such a long time. And I haven't seen a thing. How will he know how to find us next year? He's so used to coming here.

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Longing for Home Over Wealth

Tootie Smith: I'd rather be poor if we could only stay here. I'd rather go with the orphalins at the orphalins home.

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Tootie's Doll Retrieval Plan

Tootie Smith: [learning that the family must move to New York] It'll take me at least a week to dig up all my dolls in the cemetery.

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A Daughter's Apology for Past Misbehavior

Tootie Smith: [singing] I was drunk last night, dear Mother;I was drunk the night before.But if you forgive me Mother,I'll never get drunk anymore.

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Class Distinctions in Housing Choices

Rose Smith: [on having to live in an aprtment in New York] Rich people have houses. People like us live in flats, hundreds of flats in one building.

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Prioritizing Life's Values Beyond Romance

Rose Smith: My dear, when you get to be my age, you'll find out there are more important things in life than boys.

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The Importance of Togetherness and New Beginnings

Esther Smith: New York is a wonderful town. Everybody dreams about going there. But we're luckier than lots of families because we're really going. Wait until you see the fine home we're going to have and the loads and loads of friends we'll make. Wonderful friends. But the main thing, Tootie, is that we're all going to be together just like we've always been. That's what really counts. We could be happy anywhere as long as we're together.

Last Dance in St. Louis

Esther Smith: [to her Grandpa] You're the first human being I've danced with all evening. It's our last dance in St. Louis. I feel like I'm going to cry.

Betrayal and Disconnection in Esther's Words

Esther Smith: [after finding out that Tootie had lied about John Truett] You're the most deceitful, horrible, sinful creature I ever saw, and I don't ever want to have anything to do with you again.

Esther's Stand Against Bullying

Esther Smith: John Truett. I've come here to ask you something...What do you mean hitting a five-year-old child?...The next time you want to hit somebody, pick on somebody your own size. If there's anything I hate, loathe, despise, and abominate, it's a bully.

A Heart Lost on the Trolley

Esther Smith: [singing] I went to lose a jolly, hour on the trolley, and lost my heart insteadWith his light brown derby and his bright green tieHe was quite the handsomest of menI started to yen, then I counted to ten, then I counted to ten again.

The Sounds of Anticipation and Emotion

Esther Smith: [singing] Clang, clang, clang went the trolley,Ding, ding, ding went the bell.Zing, zing, zing went my heartstrings,As we started for Huntingdon dell.

A Unique Long-Distance Call in St. Louis

Esther Smith: Well, I'll bet there isn't another girl in St. Louis who's had a Yale man call her long-distance just to inquire about her health.

A Missed Marriage Proposal Consequence

Esther Smith: [to Mr. Smith, after he hangs up on a caller] You've just ruined Rose's chance to get married, that's all...That was Warren Sheffield calling long-distance to propose.

Questioning Career Choices and Happiness

Esther Smith: [to Mr. Smith] Well, Papa, if losing a case depresses you so, why don't you quit practicing law and go into another line of business?

Unrequited Love for the Boy Next Door

Esther Smith: [singing] How can I ignore the Boy Next Door?I love him more than I can say.Doesn't try to please me, doesn't even tease me.And he never sees me glance his way.And though I'm heartsore, the Boy Next Door,Affection for me won't display.I just adore him, so I can't ignore him,The Boy Next Door.