Daily Dialogue — June 4, 2013

C.R. MacNAMARA: Guten Morgen, Fräulein Ingeborg.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Guten Morgen.

He comes up behind her, smells her hair.

C.R. MacNAMARA: Like freshly baked pumpernickel.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Here’s your mail. Here’s your “Wall Street Journal”, and here is my resignation.
C.R. MacNAMARA: Resignation? What are you talking about?
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Now you do not work me overtime anymore. You do not take advantage of me on weekends. You have lost all interest in the umlaut — so, obviously, my services are no longer required here.
C.R. MacNAMARA: You know my problem. We have this houseguest.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: You said she would be in Berlin two weeks.
C.R. MacNAMARA: Can I help it if she caught the German measles?
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: She’s been here now two months.
C.R. MacNAMARA: She likes it here. It’s a damn nuisance, but what am I gonna do, throw her out?
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Doesn’t she have to go home? It’s August. Won’t schools soon open?
C.R. MacNAMARA: In Georgia? You never know. Come on. What is this nonsense about quitting?
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: I have had offers for many jobs. After all, I’m bilingual.
C.R. MacNAMARA: Don’t I know it.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Remember that Russian Trade Commission? They keep calling me all the time. They want me very badly.
C.R. MacNAMARA: I’ll bet, those Siberian wolves.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: So you better find yourself another girl.
C.R. MacNAMARA: All right! Dictation. Classified ad to run in all Berlin papers. Quote “Attractive middle-aged executive wants attractive, young secretary. Must be versatile and cooperative. Excellent salary, congenial working conditions… Fringe benefits.”
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Fringe benefits? What is that?
C.R. MacNAMARA: Little extras. For instance, this morning, I was passing that fancy shop on the Kurfuerstendamm and there was this white silk dress in the window with polka dots all over it and a matching hat.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: And a bag? And matching shoes?
C.R. MacNAMARA: Why not?
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: I’ll take the job.
C.R. MacNAMARA: You got it.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Danke schön.
C.R. MacNAMARA: You’re welcome schön.

She moves to kiss him.

C.R. MacNAMARA: Please. Not while you’re chewing gum.

She kisses him, but they suddenly stop when another staff member enters.

C.R. MacNAMARA: That’ll be all, Fräulein Ingeborg. More later.
FRÄULEIN INGEBORG: Any time.

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is witty banter, suggested by stoneinthesling. Today’s suggestion by No, Other Ira.

Trivia: In James Cagney’s autobiography, he says that Horst Buchholz was the only actor he really hated working with because he was uncooperative and tried all kinds of scene-stealing moves, which Cagney depended on Billy Wilder to correct. Had Wilder not firmly directed Buchholz, Cagney said that he “was going to knock Buchholz on his ass, which at several points I would have been very happy to do”.

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary from No, Other Ira: “I discovered this old gem only a couple of years ago. I love the dialogue for the whole movie. Below is just one example of the great banter scenes. I don’t know what lessons there are — other than being Billy Wilder.”

This is a fun movie. And since it’s written by Wilder and Izzy Diamond, it’s a must see for any serious movie fan, along with all of their collaborations.

Comment Archive