Dist. Atty. Markham:
Haven't you got any ideas, Vance?
Philo Vance: Markham, it's a maze of conflicting clues. Any one of seven people might have done it.
Detective Sgt. Heath: We couldn't convict seven people, Mr. Vance.
Philo Vance: You couldn't convict one with the evidence you've got.
--William Powell (as ) in The Kennel Murder Case
Philo Vance: Markham, it's a maze of conflicting clues. Any one of seven people might have done it.
Detective Sgt. Heath: We couldn't convict seven people, Mr. Vance.
Philo Vance: You couldn't convict one with the evidence you've got.
--William Powell (as ) in The Kennel Murder Case
Mary:
That's funny. The words are the same, but it's the wrong tune.
Clarence Day: Oh, it can't be the wrong tune. We sing it exactly that way in church.
Mary: We don't sing it that way in the Methodist Church. You see, we're Methodist.
Clarence Day: Oh, that's too bad. Oh, I don't mean it's too bad that you're a Methodist. Anybody's got a right to be anything they want, but what I mean is, we're... *Episcopalians*.
--William Powell (as Clarence Day, Sr.) in Life with father
Clarence Day: Oh, it can't be the wrong tune. We sing it exactly that way in church.
Mary: We don't sing it that way in the Methodist Church. You see, we're Methodist.
Clarence Day: Oh, that's too bad. Oh, I don't mean it's too bad that you're a Methodist. Anybody's got a right to be anything they want, but what I mean is, we're... *Episcopalians*.
--William Powell (as Clarence Day, Sr.) in Life with father
Taxi Driver:
[Cabbie is told to pull over] Hey, what's the idea? You can't hire a hack to go half a block!
Dr. Lawrence Bradford: [Deftly] My man, you are mistaken. I've done it.
[He gives the cabbie a large bill]
Dr. Lawrence Bradford: Forget the change.
[the cabbie is evidently satisfied and drives off]
--William Powell (as ) in The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Dr. Lawrence Bradford: [Deftly] My man, you are mistaken. I've done it.
[He gives the cabbie a large bill]
Dr. Lawrence Bradford: Forget the change.
[the cabbie is evidently satisfied and drives off]
--William Powell (as ) in The Ex-Mrs. Bradford
Charles Spottswoode:
What happened backstage? Were you able to see the Canary.
Philo Vance: No luck Charles. She's about as hard to get out of that judging room, as she is in that swing.
--William Powell (as ) in The Canary Murder Case
Philo Vance: No luck Charles. She's about as hard to get out of that judging room, as she is in that swing.
--William Powell (as ) in The Canary Murder Case
Vinnie:
Is that suit of your father's too tight for you?
Clarence Day: No, it's not too tight.
Vinnie: Well, what is it?
Clarence Day: Mother, very peculiar things have happened since I started to wear this suit. I can't seem to make these clothes do anything Father wouldn't do.
Vinnie: Oh, that's nonsense. And not to kneel in church is a sacrilege.
Clarence Day: Making Father's trousers kneel seemed like more of a sacrilege.
--William Powell (as Clarence Day, Sr.) in Life with father
Clarence Day: No, it's not too tight.
Vinnie: Well, what is it?
Clarence Day: Mother, very peculiar things have happened since I started to wear this suit. I can't seem to make these clothes do anything Father wouldn't do.
Vinnie: Oh, that's nonsense. And not to kneel in church is a sacrilege.
Clarence Day: Making Father's trousers kneel seemed like more of a sacrilege.
--William Powell (as Clarence Day, Sr.) in Life with father
Tommy:
Say, I'm getting out of here.
Nick Charles: No, you stay here.
Tommy: If I stay, I know I'm gonna take a poke at him.
Nick Charles: Then I insist that you stay.
--William Powell (as Nick Charles) in The Thin Man
Nick Charles: No, you stay here.
Tommy: If I stay, I know I'm gonna take a poke at him.
Nick Charles: Then I insist that you stay.
--William Powell (as Nick Charles) in The Thin Man
Irene:
I'm terribly grateful. This is the first time I've ever beaten Cornelia at anything and you helped me do it.
Godfrey: Well, that makes me a sort of Cornelia beater doesn't it?
--William Powell (as Godfrey) in My Man Godfrey
Godfrey: Well, that makes me a sort of Cornelia beater doesn't it?
--William Powell (as Godfrey) in My Man Godfrey
Gen. Dolgorucki:
Why are you not in uniform?
Lev Andreyev: My lungs are weak.
Gen. Dolgorucki: Perhaps it is your courage that is weak.
Lev Andreyev: It doesn't require courage to send others to battle and death.
[the angry Duke uses his crop to whip Andreyev across the face]
--William Powell (as Lev Andreyev) in The Last Command
Lev Andreyev: My lungs are weak.
Gen. Dolgorucki: Perhaps it is your courage that is weak.
Lev Andreyev: It doesn't require courage to send others to battle and death.
[the angry Duke uses his crop to whip Andreyev across the face]
--William Powell (as Lev Andreyev) in The Last Command
Mrs. Schlaghammer:
You! You! Just who do you think you are?
Emery Slade: I know who I am, Mrs. Schlaghammer. What's more, I know who my father was. And that, around here, is a unique distinction.
--William Powell (as Emery Slade) in Dancing In the Dark
Emery Slade: I know who I am, Mrs. Schlaghammer. What's more, I know who my father was. And that, around here, is a unique distinction.
--William Powell (as Emery Slade) in Dancing In the Dark
Clarence 'Clinker' Krause:
[utters impenetrable stream of jazz-cat hipster argot]
Nick Charles: Mrs. Charles always wears her mouth open with this outfit.
--William Powell (as Nick Charles) in Song of the Thin Man
Nick Charles: Mrs. Charles always wears her mouth open with this outfit.
--William Powell (as Nick Charles) in Song of the Thin Man
