Katharine Hepburn credited as playing...
Rose Sayer
- Charlie Allnut: What are you being so mean for, Miss? A man takes a drop too much once in a while, it's only human nature.
- Rose Sayer: Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above.
- Charlie Allnut: How'd you like it?
- Rose Sayer: Like it?
- Charlie Allnut: White water rapids!
- Rose Sayer: I never dreamed...
- Charlie Allnut: I don't blame you for being scared - not one bit. Nobody with good sense ain't scared of white water...
- Rose Sayer: I never dreamed that any mere physical experience could be so stimulating!
- Charlie Allnut: You know why did the chicken cross the road.
- Rose Sayer: [missing the joke] I beg your pardon.
- Charlie Allnut: Nevermind, miss.
- [last lines]
- Charlie Allnutt: You all right, Mrs. Allnut?
- Rose Sayer: Wonderful, simply wonderful. And you, Mr. Allnut?
- Charlie Allnutt: Pretty good for an old married man.
- Rose Sayer: I'm all twisted around, Charlie? Which way is the East Shore?
- Charlie Allnutt: The way we're swimming, old girl.
- Charlie Allnutt: [singing] There was an old fisherman / Set sail from off Pimlico / To catch the bold picky / And the gay mackerel...
- Charlie Allnutt, Rose Sayer: [Rose joins in singing] But when he got off Pimlico / The wind did begin to blow...
- Charlie Allnut: I don't know why the Germans would want this God-forsaken place.
- Rose Sayer: God has not forsaken this place, Mr. Allnut, as my brother's presence here bears witness.
- Rose Sayer: Dear Lord, we've come to the end of our journey. In a little while, we will stand before you. I pray for you to be merciful. Judge us not for our weakness, but for our love, and open the doors of heaven for Charlie and me.
- Rose Sayer: Who do you think you are ordering me about?
- Charlie Allnut: I'm the captain, that's what!
- Charlie Allnut: Fine specimen of a man, ain't I?
- Rose Sayer: You're the bravest man that ever lived. You just over-do, that's all. What you need is a few hours' sleep. There, now you're all comfortable. Go to sleep, dear. When you wake up we'll be on our way again.
- Charlie Allnut: Rosie?
- Rose Sayer: Yes, darling.
- Charlie Allnut: You want to know the truth, dont you? Even if we had all our strength we'd never get her off this mud. We're finished.
- Rose Sayer: I know it.
- Charlie Allnut: But Rosie, I'm not one bit sorry I came. What I mean is, it was worth it.
- Rose Sayer: [after travelling through the rapids] Now that I've had a taste of it I don't wonder why you love boating.
- Rose: [as Charlie tries to stop her from revealing their plan] Oh stop it, Charlie, we've been through all that. I'm certainly not going to outlive you and that's all there is to it!
- [Charlie and Rose tread water after the Louisa sank when it struck one of the African Queen's torpedoes]
- Charlie Allnutt: Hey, what happened?
- Charlie Allnutt: We did it, Charlie! We did it!
- Rose Sayer: But how?
- [Rose points to the African Queen's name plate as it floats by]
- Captain of Louisa: What were you doing on the lake?
- Rose: We were boating.
- Captain of Louisa: Last night? In such weather?
- Rose: We were not responsible for the weather.
- Rose Sayer: Don't be worried, Mr. Allnut.
- Charlie Allnut: Oh, I ain't worried, miss. Gave myself up for dead back when we started.
- Rose: And when it's smooth and flat like that over there...
- [she points at the river ahead of them]
- Rose: ...does that mean a rock, Mr Allnut?
- Charlie Allnut: Rock or hippo, miss. But don't go bumping into no hippo. Makes them awful mad. This boat's only big enough for the two of us.
- Charlie Allnut: Ah, pinch me, Rosie. Here we are going down the river like Antony and Cleopatra on their barge. If it hadn't been for you, this couldn't be. Don't you feel proud of yourself?
- Rose: Certainly not. Look at the way you kept the engine going. Look at how you mended the propeller. It wasn't me at all. I don't think there's another man alive who could have done it.
- Charlie Allnut: How right you are, Rosie, 'cause no other man alive's got you. I'll never forget the way you looked going over the falls: head up, chin out, hair blowing in the wind. The living picture of the heroine!
- Rose: Fancy me, a heroine. Oh Charlie, you've lost your mind.
- Charlie Allnut: Lost my heart, too.