Our Betters (1933)

Constance Bennett: Lady Pearl Grayston

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : You know, you're very naughty sometimes, Pearl, but you have a good heart and I can't help being fond of you.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Minnie!

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Pearl!

  [they embrace] 

  Ernest : Ah! What an exquisite spectacle! Two ladies of title, kissing one another!

• Thornton Clay : You're a most unscrupulous woman, Pearl.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Not more than most.

• Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : I never mind scandal, but I don't expose myself to ridicule if I can help it.

• Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : I can't imagine what you see in him. Surely, you must know -

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : [cutting Pearl off sharply]  There's very little about him I don't know. He's a gambler, a spendthrift, and an idler. But, in his way, he's fond of me. You can see he's fond of me, can't you?

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Well, I suppose there's no good talking. If he makes you happy...

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : He doesn't! He makes me miserable. I love him. He wants to marry me, Pearl.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Oh! Minnie, you're not going to!

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Oh, no. I'm not such a fool as that. Why, if I married him, I'd have no hold over him at all!

• Princess Flora dela Chicora : It's wonderful how you've made your way, Pearl.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Shall I tell you how I've done it? By force of character, wit, unscrupulousness and push.

  Princess Flora dela Chicora : You're very frank.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : That's always been my pose.

• Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : She's an extraordinary creature; she's in love with her husband. You know, I'm convinced she's never had an affair.

• Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Pepi, you know the most enchanting word in the English language? Perhaps.

• Arthur Fenwick : Then if I leave you you'll have nobody but your husband?

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Nobody.

  Arthur Fenwick : You're going to be terribly lonely, Girlie.

• Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Men are trivial, foolish creatures. Kind hearts but no heads. And they're so vain, poor dears, they're so vain.

• Arthur Fenwick : You're my guiding star. My ideal! I don't know what I'd do if you failed me. I don't think I could live if I ever found you weren't what I think you are.

  [bends to kiss her hand] 

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : [looking down at his bent head]  You shan't, if I can help it.

• Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Ah, Mr. Harvey. Still enjoying life in London?

  Thornton Clay : Well, he should be. I've got him invitations to all of the nicest parties, but he will waste his time in sight-seeing. The other day - Thursday, wasn't it? - I wanted to take him to Hurlingham and he insisted on going to the National Gallery instead!

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : What an outrageous proceeding!

  Fleming Harvey : Well, I don't see that it was any more outrageous for me than for you. I saw you going in just as I was going out.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : [recovering, after a moment's unease]  I had a reason to go.

  [sits by Arthur] 

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Arthur's just bought a Bronzino, and I wanted to see those at the National Gallery.

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : I think it's far more likely that you had a rendezvous. It's a marvelous place for that, I've heard. You never meet any of your friends there - and if you do, they're there for the same purpose and pretend not to see you.

• Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Nothing will induce me to stay in this house another night!

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : [as Minnie walks into the garden]  It's a very slow train. Pepi'll be hungry and out of temper. You'll look your age.

  [Minnie stops in her tracks, turns, comes back into the room] 

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : You promised me the luggage cart.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : You shall have it! But you'll have to sit on the floor - there are no seats.

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Pearl, it's not going to break down on the way to the station?

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Oh, how *can* you suspect me of playing a trick like that on you!

  [looking slightly regretful] 

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : It never occurred to me.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : You know the funny ways they have in America.

• Fleming Harvey : Since you're talking of me, won't you please introduce me to Mr. Clay.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Oh, how American you are. We haven't over here the passion you have in America for introducing people. My dear Thorton, allow me to present to you, my long lost cousin, Mr. Fleming Harvey.

  Thornton Clay : If I remember correctly, in America, one is supposed to say, "I'm pleased to make your acquaintance."

  Fleming Harvey : Aren't you an American, Mr. Clay?

  Thornton Clay : Well, I won't deny I was born in Ohio.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Are you rich?

  Fleming Harvey : Not at all.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Well, it doesn't matter. You're good looking. You know, if one wants to be a success in London, one must have looks, wit, or a bank balance.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : You're an unprincipled ruffian, Pepi.

  Pepi D'Costa : Do you mind?

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Shameless creature.

  [laughs] 

  Lady Pearl Grayston : I wonder what it is that Minnie sees in you?

  Pepi D'Costa : Oh, I have all sorts of merits.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Mmm, I'm glad you think so.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Well, I got him at last - the ape.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Oh, Pepi, we've just been talking about you.

  Pepi D'Costa : Nothing good, I presume.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Naturally not.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Pompous owl! He's refused invitation after invitation.

  Arthur Fenwick : Oh, I dare say you can do without him.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Don't be a fool, Arthur. I'll get him here somehow.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : You seem to have a passion for rotters. And they all treat you badly.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : If he comes once because I force him, he'll come again because he likes it. This house is like heaven. I have to compel them to come in.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : I wasn't going to be outdone. So, I simply said father used to sell bananas in the streets of New York.

  Duchess : Most unpleasant vegetable. So fattening.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Don't be Scotch. Give me a check at once, before you forget it.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Some cake, Pepi?

  Pepi D'Costa : You're looking perfectly divine, today.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Are you making love to me?

  Pepi D'Costa : That's nothing new, is it?

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Oh, I'm famished.

  Princess : You must be exhausted after all your tennis.

  Duchess : My dear, I have to exercise or I should be enormous!

• Princess : I wish it were a more romantic match.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Well, he has one of the oldest titles in England. I call that romantic, even if he isn't.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Think of the people you know who married for love. After five years, do they care for one another any more than those who married for money?

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Thornton only makes love to me when other people are looking. He can be very passionate in the front seat of my box at the opera.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Arthur, Arthur, can you forgive me?

  Arthur Fenwick : To err is human, to forgive divine.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Oh, how like you that is.

  Arthur Fenwick : But, if you must - if you must deceive me, don't let me find it out. Will you?

  Lady Pearl Grayston : I won't Arthur. I promise I won't.

• Arthur Fenwick : Last night I could have thrashed you within an inch of your life.

  Lady Pearl Grayston : Oh, why didn't you?

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Quite early in my career I discovered that the English could never resit getting something for nothing. I give them dinners. I give them parties. I've made myself the fashion. I've got power. I've got influence. But everything I've got, my success, my reputation, my notoriety, I've bought it. Bought it! Bought it!

• Lady Pearl Grayston : On my wedding day my Mother told me I was too soft. I needed hardening. Well, I've hardened.