Monsieur Verdoux Quotes

Henri Verdoux Business is a ruthless business, my dear.

Taglines A comedy of murders. The story of a modern French Bluebeard!

Henri Verdoux It's the approach of death that terrifies.

The Girl I suppose, if the unborn knew of the approach of life, they'd be just as terrified.

The Girl You don't like women, do you?

Henri Verdoux On the contrary, I love women. But I don't admire them.

The Girl Why?

Henri Verdoux Women are of the earth. Realistic. Dominated by physical facts.

The Girl What nonsense!

Henri Verdoux Once a woman betrays a man, she despises him. In spite of his goodness and position, she will give him up for someone inferior. That someone is more, shall we say, "attractive.

The Girl How little you know about women!

Henri Verdoux You'd be surprised.

The Girl It's a blundering world and a very sad one, yet kindness can make it beautiful.

Taglines A Comedy of Murders.

Henri Verdoux Wars, conflict - it's all business. One murder makes a villain; millions, a hero. Numbers sanctify, my good fellow!

Reporter You'll have to admit, crime doesn't pay, does it?

Henri Verdoux No, sir. Not in a small way.

Reporter What do you mean?

Henri Verdoux To be successful in anything, one must be well-organized.

Reporter You're not leaving the world with that cynical remark?

Henri Verdoux To be idealistic in this moment would be incongruous, don't you think?

Reporter What's all this talk about good and evil?

Henri Verdoux Arbitrary forces, my good fellow. Too much of either will destroy us all.

Reporter We can never have too much good in the world.

Henri Verdoux Trouble is, we've never had enough. We don't know.

Reporter Listen, Verdoux, I've been your friend all through the trial. Now, give me a break, a story with a moral to it! You, the tragic example of a life of crime.

Henri Verdoux I don't see how anyone can be an example in these criminal times.

The Girl It's nice seeing you again, You'll never realise what your kindness meant to me.

Henri Verdoux Kindness is a convenient thing at times, my dear.

Taglines Chaplin's Bluebeard Comedy is a Killer!

Taglines Hysterical laughter! Haunting romance! Shocking drama!

Henri Verdoux I shall see you ALL soon - very soon.

Henri Verdoux Ah, Father. And what can I do for you?

Priest Nothing, my son. I want to help you, if I can. I've come to ask you to make your peace with God.

Henri Verdoux I am at peace with God. My conflict is with Man.

Priest Have you no remorse for your sin?

Henri Verdoux Who knows what sin is? Born as it was from God's fallen angel. Who knows the ultimate destiny it serves? After all, what would you be doing without sin?

Priest Exactly what I'm doing now, my son: trying to help a lost soul in distress. They're coming. Let me pray for you.

Henri Verdoux As you wish. But I don't think these gentlemen want to be kept waiting.

Priest May the Lord have mercy on your soul.

Henri Verdoux Why not? After all, it belongs to Him.

Henri Verdoux Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles.

Taglines New hat. new coat, new pants, new shoes, new laughs, but the same great Charles Chaplin!

The Prosecutor Never, never in the history of jurisprudence have such terrifying deeds been brought to light. Gentlemen of the jury, you have before you a cruel and cynical monster. Look at him! Observe him, gentlemen. This man, who has brains, if he had decent instincts, could have made an honest living. And yet, he preferred to rob and murder unsuspecting women. In fact, he made a business of it. I do not ask for vengeance, but for the protection of society. For this mass killer, I demand the extreme penalty: that he be put to death on the guillotine. The State rests its case.

Judge Monsieur Verdoux, you have been found guilty. Have you anything to say before sentence is passed upon you?

Henri Verdoux Oui, monsieur, I have. However remiss the prosecutor has been in complimenting me, he at least admits that I have brains. Thank you, Monsieur, I have. And for 35 years I used them honestly. After that, nobody wanted them. So I was forced to go into business for myself. As for being a mass killer, does not the world encourage it? Is it not building weapons of destruction for the sole purpose of mass killing? Has it not blown unsuspecting women and little children to pieces? And done it very scientifically? As a mass killer, I am an amateur by comparison. However, I do not wish to lose my temper, because very shortly, I shall lose my head. Nevertheless, upon leaving this spark of earthly existence, I have this to say: I shall see you all...very soon...very soon.

Henri Verdoux Despair is a narcotic. It lulls the mind into indifference.