Strictly Dynamite (1934)

Norman Foster: Nick Montgomery

Quotes 

• Sylvia : [Reading over Nick's shoulder]  "Old New York. The day sleeps in you. And the night rises in you. I'm afraid of you. Are you afraid of me, too?" Gee, Nick, that's good. Isn't it?

  Nick : See, I want to catch the whole spirit of New York. Make it a sort of a Manhattan Symphony or Serenade.

• Nick : If you listen to me, Moxie, I've got a writer, that - why, Moxie, don't you believe me?

  Moxie Slaight : To put it diplomatically: No!

  Nick : Oh, funny fella. He's not a gag man. He's a real writer with - psychology.

  Moxie Slaight : That's just what I need. A cyclist! One who can catch my whims. Capture my moods. And study my complexes.

• Georgie : You say, "I made an analysis of your work."

  Nick : Well, but, I don't know what his work is.

  Georgie : He don't know what an analysis is. So, you're even.

• Nick : He's got it! He's caught the whole spirit of the thing. The philosophy of humor. It's the abstract principal which relates to the macrocosm to the microcosm.

  Moxie Slaight : This guy speaks my language.

• Nick : That's the psychology of humor. Things out of place are funny. Now, now, for instance, you take that window, suppose it was here, in the center of the floor. And that door, was in the ceiling. What would that be?

  Moxie Slaight : Very screwy. Why, it's incredulous!

  Georgie : Well, Moxie, what'll you hear his jokes. They'll kill ya.

  Moxie Slaight : You keep your puss outta this. We're gettin' somewhere. Let's continue with our deductions.

  Nick : Well, its like the absent-minded man who tossed his cigarette outta the window and forgot to let go.

  Moxie Slaight : [laughs]  He smoked 'em!

  Georgie : What do you think of him now, Moxie?

  Moxie Slaight : What do I think of him now? Why, he's a genius!

• Nick : Don't be a sour puss.

  Sylvia : Sour puss?

  Nick : What's the joke?

  Sylvia : You sound like Moxie.

  Nick : Do I? Well, well that's great. I want to lose that heavy academic manner I used to have.

• Nick : I've worked up a swell gag. Listen to this, Moxie says to Vera, "Come on, let's play Post Office." And Vera says, "Ah, that's a kid's game." And Moxie says, "Ha! Not they way I play it!"

• Sylvia : You always wanted to do things that were more, more...

  Nick : Yeah, I know, high brow. Say, listen, there's plenty of hokum in Shakespeare.

• Nick : Moxie, it was all a mistake. Please, forgive me.

  Moxie Slaight : Forgive ya? Did Napoleon forgive Waterloo? Did he?

  Nick : Well, no. That was...

  Moxie Slaight : Then why should I forgive you! The cases are parallel. I'm dyin'!

• Sylvia : Don't lets go on like this. Questions and lies!

  Nick : I'm sorry.

  Sylvia : When we both know that you did go to Atlantic City!

  Nick : I went for hot cakes!

  Sylvia : With her!

• Nick : He's gonna murder me and you tell him to come right over!

  Fleming : Yeah, but, don't you see, that's just what you need!