Dinner at Eight (1933)

Marie Dressler: Carlotta Vance

Photos 

Quotes 

• Kitty : [Final lines]  I was reading a book the other day.

  Carlotta : [Nearly trips]  Reading a book?

  Kitty : Yes. It's all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy says that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?

  Carlotta : [Looking her over]  Oh, my dear, that's something you need never worry about.

• Carlotta Vance : And then I had a restful, nice luncheon... with four lawyers. On the 88th floor of the What's-its building. You know, the Sky Club. A cloud floated right into my soup plate.

  Millicent Jordan : Yes, it's terrible. But, we get used to it.

• Miss Copeland : You were wonderful!

  Carlotta Vance : Yes, that was the last thing I did.

  Miss Copeland : I remember it as plain as if it were yesterday.

  Carlotta Vance : Hmm.

  Miss Copeland : Though I was only a little girl at the time.

  Carlotta Vance : How extraordinary!

  Miss Copeland : Oh, it's wonderful, seeing you like this.

  Carlotta Vance : Yes, it 'tis. You know, we must have a long talk about the Civil War sometime. Just you and I.

• Paula Jordan : My poor Larry. He's dead, Carlotta.

  Carlotta Vance : And nothing can be done. That's the unfortunate thing about death. It's so terribly final. Even the young can't do anything about it.

• Carlotta Vance : I've been in New York four days. The first time I've been back in ten years. And I'm lost already. No, everything's changed. I couldn't stand it here. I'd die. I belong to the Delmonico period. A table at the window, looking out on Fifth Avenue. Boxes with flowers in. Pink lampshades. String orchestra. And, I don't know, yes, yes, willow blooms. Inverness capes. Dry champagne. And snow on the ground.

• Carlotta Vance : Very same thing at my house in London. Everybody - popping in. Noel. Winston. And once in awhile, Wales. I didn't do so badly for a little girl from Quincy, Illinois, eh, Duckie?

• Carlotta Vance : Farewell, Lochinvar!

  Dan Packard : What did she call me?

• Oliver Jordan : International star returns to stage...

  Carlotta Vance : Never! I'll have my double chins in privacy.

• Carlotta Vance : Oliver! Duckie! Oh, I'm never so glad to see anyone in all my life.

  Oliver Jordan : Carlotta, this is a surprise! Why, you look marvelous.

  Carlotta Vance : Do I? I do, don't I?

  Oliver Jordan : Divine!

  Carlotta Vance : Oh, Oliver, actually, you're looking handsomer than ever. Oh, Oliver.

  [runs her hand down through Oliver's hair] 

  Carlotta Vance : Oliver.

  Oliver Jordan : A little gray.

  Carlotta Vance : Gray? Nonsense. Distinguished!

• Paula Jordan : I'm all right now. Thank you.

  Carlotta Vance : Of course you are, my dear. Now Ernest won't notice a thing.

  Paula Jordan : I don't want to see Ernest. I don't want to see anybody.

  Carlotta Vance : Yes, you do, dear. But I want to tell you one thing. Don't ever let him know anything about this... 'cause if there's one thing I know, it's men. I ought to. It's been my life work.

  Paula Jordan : I can't ever love another man.

  Carlotta Vance : No, of course you can't, dear. But if you should, you know, someone like Ernest... he won't want to know anything about your past... as long as you keep it in the past.

• [last lines] 

  Kitty : I was reading a book the other day.

  Carlotta : [shocked at the thought]  Reading a book?

  Kitty : Yes. It's all about civilization or something. A nutty kind of a book. Do you know that the guy said that machinery is going to take the place of every profession?

  Carlotta : Oh, my dear, that's something you need never worry about.

• Carlotta Vance : I was rather gorgeous, wasn't I?

• Carlotta Vance : Remember? They named everything after me: cigars, racehorses, perfumes, battleships!