A Letter to Three Wives Quotes

Mrs. Finney: Can't we have peace in this house even on New Year's Eve?

Sadie: You got it mixed up with Christmas. New Year's Eve is when people go back to killing each other.

Mr. Manleigh: Sadie may not realize it, but whether or not she thinks she's listening, she's being penetrated.

George Phipps: Good thing she didn't hear you say that.

Deborah Bishop: Why is it that sooner or later no matter what we talk about... we wind up talking about Addie Ross?

Addie Ross: [off voice] Maybe it's because if you girls didn't talk about me you wouldn't talk at all.

Rita Phipps: People in the show business, you know what I mean, those kind of people always drink scotch.

George Phipps: Well, I know what you mean, but I wish you wouldn't say it in radio English. "That kind", not "those kind".

Rita Phipps: There are men who say "those kind" who earn $100,000 dollars a year.

George Phipps: There are men who say "stick 'em up" who earn more. I don't expect to do either.

Porter Hollingsway: What do you want me to do about it - build you a personal broadcasting system?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: You don't need a station. Just yell a little louder.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: I've got very definite ideas.

Porter Hollingsway: Like what?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: There's never been anybody in particular. Nobody special.

Porter Hollingsway: Plenty that wanted to, I'll bet.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: What do you think?

Porter Hollingsway: That you've been waiting for that one guy to come along.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: I got very definite ideas.

Porter Hollingsway: What's he got to be like, this one guy?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: Someone who wants to marry me more than anything else in the world.

Porter Hollingsway: You sure got wrong ideas about things.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: They may be wrong, but they're definite.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: It's late. I'd better be going home.

Porter Hollingsway: OK if I call you a cab?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: Beats walking in the snow.

Mrs. Finney: Of all the times to quit a job, just before Christmas with all the bills due and five months due on the icebox!

Sadie: You got to make up your mind whether you want your kids happy or your icebox paid up.

Porter Hollingsway: OK. OK, you win. I'll marry you. How about it?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: Thanks... for nothing.

Porter Hollingsway: Now what kind of an answer is that?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: I don't know. I just felt like it. That's all.

Porter Hollingsway: We'll do all right, kid. We're starting out where it takes most marriages years to get, out in the open. No jokers. You'll see. You've made a good deal, Lora Mae.

Mrs. Finney: [walking into the room] Lora Mae, honey, if you want me I'll be over at the Callahans' playing...

Lora Mae Hollingsway: Happy new year, Ma. We're gonna get married.

Mrs. Finney: ...Bingo!

[She faints]

Lora Mae Hollingsway: I've been a good wife. The best wife your money could buy.

Porter Hollingsway: Strictly cash and carry.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: Isn't that what you wanted? Isn't that what you told me? "Out in the open. You made a good deal, kid." Did you every stop to think, Porter, that in over 3 years there's one word we've never said to each other, even in fun?

Porter Hollingsway: To you, I'm a cash register. You can't love a cash register.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: And I'm part of your inventory. You can't love that, either.

Porter Hollingsway: I asked you to marry me because I was crazy about you.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: You didn't even ask me!

Porter Hollingsway: I've been a good husband. You got everything you want.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: If you'd only asked me, if you'd only made me feel like a woman instead of a piece of merchandise!

Porter Hollingsway: Did you give me a chance to? All you ever showed me was your price tag.

Deborah Bishop: Have you any idea how much Lora Mae is in love with you?

Porter Hollingsway: [scornfully] No! How much?

Deborah Bishop: So much she's afraid to tell you, afraid you'd laugh at her.

Porter Hollingsway: Me laugh? She couldn't say it with a straight face. Lora Mae in love with me? It's all she can do to wait it out.

Deborah Bishop: Wait it out?

Porter Hollingsway: Yeah, like an annuity till it matures. Like a slot machine till it pays off. That's what she's waiting for. A chance to call it off, to collect. "The end of the line. Fares, please." Don't tell me about love and Lora Mae.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: [who has just finished dressing for a date] How do I look?

Sadie: If I was you, I'd show more o' what I got. Maybe wear somethin' with beads.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: What I got don't need beads.

Deborah Bishop: No. Let's wait. Why let Addie spoil our day.

Rita Phipps: Not my day. Addie never saw the day she could spoil my day.

[looks at Lora Mae]

Rita Phipps: Did I put enough days into that?

Deborah Bishop: [drunk] Who is Mister Ross?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: [sardonically] Mister Ross took a powder about five years ago.

Porter Hollingsway: No such thing, she gave him the heave-ho.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: [arguing] He went out for a paper one night and never came back!

Deborah Bishop: Porter says Addie Ross has got class.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: And he knows class like I know navigation!

Lora Mae Hollingsway: [dressed to lead a group of children hiking] Don't expected us back too soon - we kids are going after everything from sardines to wolves.

Rita Phipps: [archly] You'll have no trouble finding wolves, honey.

Rita Phipps: [laying down the law to Sadie] And lets get a couple of things straight. First, when you announce dinner...

Sadie: I know, I'm not supposed to say "soup's on".

Rita Phipps: How did I tell you?

Sadie: I forgot.

Rita Phipps: "Dinner is served"

Sadie: [mockingly] "Dinner is served"

Rita Phipps: And you're not to say it as though the food were poisoned.

Sadie: All this fancy schmanzy because two people from the city are gonna eat here.

Rita Phipps: Mrs. Manley is a very important person; she has charge of a great many radio programs, including the one I write.

Rita Phipps: You know what I like about your program? Even when I'm running the vacuum I can understand it.

Rita Phipps: Thank you so much.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: [amused by Sadie's maid uniform] Sadie Dugan, what are you supposed to be, Baby Snooks?

Sadie: Hiya Lora Mae.

Lora Mae Hollingsway: Get a load of that cap - I can't wait to tell Ma!

Rita Phipps: Lora Mae, would you sit there please?

Porter Hollingsway: Come on, sit down.

Sadie: There's a couple of things I could tell your Ma about you too.

Mrs. Manleigh: This great situation belongs in a true-to-life drama - are you two related?

Lora Mae Hollingsway: No we just had the same governess.

Sadie: [laughing] Ya kill me!

Leo: [delivering a package] Sure smells good.

Sadie Dugan: Wish I could say the same for you.