Memorable quotes for
The Narrow Margin (1952) More at IMDbPro »

Vincent Yost: We're ready to make a deal. You have her, we want her, how much? It's as simple as that.
Walter Brown: You're under arrest.
Vincent Yost: For what?
Walter Brown: Attempted bribery.
Vincent Yost: Bribery? Heh - you'd never make it stick. I'm a sales executive for the Midwest Equipment Company, Chicago. I've never even gotten as much as a parking ticket.
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[On bribes]
Walter Brown: I don't say I've never been tempted. Of course I've been tempted; I'm human like anybody else. But to spend the rest of my time worrying when I'll be caught up with by some hoodlum holding a first mortgage on my life, payable on demand...! Naah. No kind of money worth that.
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Walter Brown: Pardon me, I'd like to get through.
Jennings: Sorry, this train wasn't designed for my tonnage, heh. Nobody loves a fat man except his grocer and his tailor!
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Walter Brown: Sister, I've known some pretty hard cases in my time; you make 'em all look like putty. You're not talking about a sack of gumdrops that's gonna be smashed - you're talking about a dame's life! You may think it's a funny idea for a woman with a kid to stop a bullet for you, only I'm not laughing!
Mrs. Neall: Where do you get off, being so superior? Why shouldn't I take advantage of her - I want to live! If you had to step on someone to get something you wanted real bad, would you think twice about it?
Walter Brown: Shut up!
Mrs. Neall: In a pig's eye you would! You're no different from me.
Walter Brown: Shut up!
Mrs. Neall: Not till I tell you something, you cheap badge-pusher! When we started on this safari, you made it plenty clear I was just a job, and no joy in it, remember?
Walter Brown: Yeah, and it still goes, double!
Mrs. Neall: Okay, keep it that way. I don't care whether you dreamed up this gag or not; you're going right along with it, so don't go soft on me. And once you handed out a line about poor Forbes getting killed, 'cause it was his duty. Well, it's your duty too! Even if this dame gets murdered.
Walter Brown: You make me sick to my stomach.
Mrs. Neall: Well, use your own sink. And let me know when the target practice starts!
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Walter Brown: You're off your stick - way off.
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Walter Brown: I love it - so get to the point.
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Walter Brown: So far they haven't spotted you, and they don't know what you look like. But they've seen me. If they start shooting in my direction, I don't want you hit.
Mrs. Neall: You're sure it isn't the other way around?
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Walter Brown: You're a pretty good judge of crooks, Mrs. Neall; the only place you slip up is with cops. I turned the deal down.
Mrs. Neall: Then you're a bigger idiot than I thought! When are you going to get it through your square head that this is big business? And we're right in the middle.
Walter Brown: Meaning you'd like to sell out?
Mrs. Neall: With pleasure and profit, and so would you. What are the odds if we don't? I sing my song for the grand jury, and spend the rest of my life dodging bullets - -if I'm lucky! - -while you grow old and gray on the police force. Oh, wake up, Brown. This train's headed straight for the cemetery. But there's another one coming along, a gravy train. Let's get on it.
Walter Brown: Mrs. Neall, I'd like to give you the same answer I gave that hood - but it would mean stepping on your face.
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Mrs. Neall: That hood wasn't looking at her big blue eyes. He thinks that's me, and I think that's dandy.
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Joseph Kemp: All right copper, I'm not in this alone, but you are. You're just one guy buckin' a big company, it don't matter if you beat my brains out or not - we're in business for keeps.
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Joseph Kemp: The name's Neil, but the name doesn't matter.
Walter Brown: It matters plenty!
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Joseph Kemp: Why don't ya get wise to yourself and give her a break? What's the use of makin' that kid an orphan? Or maybe you like trouble.
Joseph Kemp: Give us the list and nobody gets hurt - no grief, no mess.
Walter Brown: Except for Mrs. Neil, who gets double-crossed ten minutes later. What do ya take me for, a jumbo-sized sucker?
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Walter Brown: What kind of a dame would marry a hood?
Det. Sgt. Gus Forbes: All kinds.
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Walter Brown: I know a woman who won't sleep for a lot of nights.
Mrs. Neall: Who?
Walter Brown: Forbes's wife.
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Mrs. Neall: opening her compartment door in the morning and seeing Brown strap on his gun "What're you gonna do, go out and shoot us some breakfast?"
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