A sampling of witticisms, one liners, and knock-out dialogue from Cary Grant, the characters he played, and some of his best known co-stars.
SYLVIA SCARLETT
Sylvia Scarlett: You’ve got the mind of a pig.
Jimmy Monkley: It’s a pig’s world.
BRINGING UP BABY
David Huxley: Now it isn’t that I don’t like you, Susan, because, after all, in moments of quiet, I’m strangely drawn toward you, but – well, there haven’t been any quiet moments.
Susan Vance: Well, don’t you worry, David, because if there’s anything that I can do to help you, just let me know and I’ll do it.
David Huxley: Well, er – don’t do it until I let you know.
GUNGA DIN
Sgt. Archibald Cutter: Now you’re all under arrest. Her Majesty’s very touchy about having her subjects strangled.
HIS GIRL FRIDAY
Walter Burns: Look Hildy, I only acted like any husband that didn’t want his home broken up.
Hildy Johnson: What home?
Walter Burns: “What home”? Don’t you remember the home I promised you?
Hildy Johnson: He treats me like a woman.
Walter Burns: What did I treat you like? A water buffalo?
THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
Tracy Lord: You hardly know him.
C. K. Dexter Haven: To hardly know him is to know him well.
C. K. Dexter Haven: Of course, Mr. Connor, she’s a girl who is generous to a fault.
Tracy Lord: To a fault.
C. K. Dexter Haven: Except to other people’s faults.
C. K. Dexter Haven: Sometimes, for your own sake, Red, I think you should’ve stuck to me longer.
Tracy Lord: I thought it was for life, but the nice judge gave me a full pardon.
C. K. Dexter Haven: Aaah, that’s the old redhead. No bitterness, no recrimination, just a good swift left to the jaw.
NOTORIOUS
Devlin: Dry your eyes, baby; it’s out of character.
TO CATCH A THIEF
H. H. Hughson: You are a man of obvious good taste in everything. Why did you–
John Robie: Why did I take up stealing? To live better, to own things I couldn’t afford, to acquire this good taste that you now enjoy and which I should be very reluctant to give up.
H. H. Hughson: Then you are frankly dishonest.
John Robie: I try to be.
John Robie: For what it’s worth, I never stole from anybody who would go hungry.
NORTH BY NORTHWEST
Roger Thornhill: Now you listen to me, I’m an advertising man, not a red herring. I’ve got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don’t intend to disappoint them all by getting myself “slightly” killed.
Roger Thornhill: When I was a little boy, I wouldn’t even let my mother undress me.
Eve Kendall: Well, you’re a big boy now.
Eve Kendall: It’s going to be a long night.
Roger Thornhill: True.
Eve Kendall: And I don’t particularly like the book I’ve started.
Roger Thornhill: Ah.
Eve Kendall: You know what I mean?
Roger Thornhill: Ah, let me think. Yes, I know exactly what you mean.
Eve Kendall: I’m a big girl.
Roger Thornhill: Yeah, and in all the right places, too.
Eve Kendall: How do I know you aren’t a murderer?
Roger Thornhill: You don’t.
Eve Kendall: Maybe you’re planning to murder me right here, tonight.
Roger Thornhill: Shall I?
Eve Kendall: Please do.
Roger Thornhill: What’s wrong with men like me?
Eve Kendall: They don’t believe in marriage.
Roger Thornhill: I’ve been married twice.
Eve Kendall: See what I mean?
CHARADE
Regina Lampert: I already know an awful lot of people and until one of them dies I couldn’t possibly meet anyone else.
Peter Joshua: Well, if anyone goes on the critical list, let me know.
Regina Lampert: Do you know what’s wrong with you?
Peter Joshua: No, what?
Regina Lampert: Nothing.
CARY GRANT ON CARY GRANT
“I pretended to be somebody I wanted to be until finally I became that person. Or he became me.”
“My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can.”
“Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant.”
