The Mad Miss Manton (1938)

Barbara Stanwyck: Melsa Manton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Melsa Manton : [storms into the room and slaps the first man she sees]  Are you Peter Ames?

  Peter's Secretary : No...

  Peter Ames : But I am...

  Melsa Manton : [Slaps Peter] 

  Peter Ames : [Slaps Melsa]  To complete the circle.

• Melsa Manton : Helen, you search the upstairs.

  Helen Frayne : Oh, no! I was never much of an individualist. If the upstairs has to be searched, we'll search it together.

  Dora Fenton : Why, that's communism!

• [last lines] 

  Peter Ames : We'll go to South America, for six months - maybe we'll never come back!

  Melsa Manton : Can you afford it?

  Peter Ames : No, but you can.

  Melsa Manton : Isn't there a drop of red blood in your veins? I want to live on *your* income!

  Peter Ames : That's foolish, who's going to live on yours?

  [they kiss passionately] 

  Lieutenant Brent : Sullivan, my bicarb tablets.

  Sullivan : Will you quit crawling up on me.

• Peter Ames : Listen, before I knew you, I disliked you intensely. When I met you, I disliked you intensely. Even now, I dislike you intensely... that is, the sensible sane portion of me... but there's an insane side of me that gets a little violent every time I think of you.

  Melsa Manton : Getting out of a million dollar lawsuit wouldn't have anything to do with your change in affection, would it?

  Peter Ames : You're a nasty creature, aren't you, but in time I'll beat it out of you.

• Lieutenant Brent : Everybody suspects you of holding out, even I do.

  Melsa Manton : Oh, I bet you say that to all the girls.

• Melsa Manton : [has just discovered Fonda is faking being near death, to pump her for information]  Are you still in pain, sweet?

  Peter Ames : [from hospital bed, faintly]  Oh its nothing, nothing... only when I move... but its nothing...

  Melsa Manton : [hovering over hospital bed]  Peter, perhaps I did wrong in not telling Inspector Brent everything.

  Peter Ames : You mean you held something back?

  Melsa Manton : Yes Peter.

  Peter Ames : [this is what he's hoping to hear]  Oh sweet, you're so clever.

  Melsa Manton : Remember when I went into Ronnie Beldon's apartment?

  Peter Ames : Yes dear.

  Melsa Manton : When I went into the bathroom, I found something.

  Peter Ames : In the bathroom?

  Melsa Manton : Yes, floating around in a foot of water in the bathtub.

  Peter Ames : Louder, dear, I can hardly hear you.

  Melsa Manton : [ominously]  I'll come closer.

  Peter Ames : Tell me dear, what was it?

  Melsa Manton : [yelling]  The Normandie, you black-hearted faker, in full sail!

  [stabs him in the leg with a fork] 

• Melsa Manton : Hilda, the door!

  Hilda : [already on her way to answer it]  I heard it. I ain't deaf. Sometimes I wished I was.

  Kit Beverly : [tagging along after Hilda, talking with her mouth full]  Have you another piece of cake, Hilda?

  Hilda : Yes, I have, but the kitchen's closed for the night.

  Melsa Manton : Hilda! Miss Beverly is our guest!

  Hilda : *I* didn't ask 'er up!

  Helen Frayne : Comes the revolution and we'll stop being exploited by our help.

  Melsa Manton : In my house the revolution is here.

• Edward Norris : Don't speak to anyone. I don't want to kill an innocent bystander.

  Peter Ames : Ya know that's what I like about crazy men; that fine sense of distinction.

  Edward Norris : You think I'm insane?

  Melsa Manton : [Stands in front of Peter, as to protect him]  Oh, he's says that to everybody.

• Melsa Manton : [to her friends]  Get him, girls!

  Peter Ames : [Nervously, then desparately as the girls engulf and subdue him]  Hey, wait a minute, girls...

  [clicks the phone] 

  Peter Ames : Tahe it easy, girls... look... Hello... Help, I tho... wha... ahh!...

• Melsa Manton : Police! All they know is to blow a whistle and hold up traffic!

• Melsa Manton : Well, if I want to marry a fortune hunter, I can go to Europe and marry a professional one.

• Melsa Manton : May I have a cigarette?

  [He places one in her mouth, lights it] 

  Melsa Manton : I've had dozens of cigarette lighters but they never worked.

  Peter Ames : This just one just takes cheap gasoline.

  Melsa Manton : Maybe that's why.

• Melsa Manton : Thank you, Helen. You're sweet and very helpful.