Daily Dialogue — September 18, 2012
Jean: Not good enough.
Colonel: What’d you say?
Jean: I said they’re not good enough for him. EveryJane in the room… is giving him the thermometer, and he feels they’re just a waste of time. He’s returning to his book. He’s deeply immersed in it. He’s sees no one except… Watch his head turn when that kid goes by. It won’t do you any good, dear. He’s a bookworm, but swing ’em anyway. Ah, how about this one? How would you like that hanging on your Christmas tree? Oh, you wouldn’t? Well, what is your weakness, brother? Holy smoke, the dropped kerchief! Hasn’t been used since Lily Langtry. You’ll have to pick it up yourself. It’s a shame that he doesn’t care for the flesh. He’ll never see it. Look at that girl over to his left. Look over to your left, bookworm. There’s a girl pining for you. A little further. Just a little further. There! Wasn’t that worth looking for? See those nice teeth beaming at you? Why, she recognizes you. She’s up. She’s down. She can’t make up her mind. She’s up again. She recognizes you. She’s coming over to speak to you. The suspense is killing me. Why, for heaven’s sake, “Aren’t you Fuzzy Oldhammer I went to manual training school with? You’re not? You certainly look exactly like him… a remarkable resemblance.” If you’re not going to ask me to sit, I suppose you’re not going to ask me. “Sorry. I certainly hope I haven’t caused you any embarrassment.” “I wonder if my tie’s on straight. I certainly upset them, don’t I?” Who else? The lady champion wrestler. Wouldn’t she make a houseful? You don’t like her either. What are you going to do about it? You just can’t stand it anymore. You’re leaving. These women don’t give you a moment’s peace, do they? Go sulk in your cabin. Go soak your head and see if I care!
Jean sticks her leg out to trip Pike. He knocks into a Waiter, dishes clatter.
Waiter: I’m very sorry, sir.
Pike: That’s all right.
Jean: Why don’t you look where you’re going?
Pike: Why don’t I look?
Jean: Look, you knocked the heel off.
Pike: Oh, I did? I’m sorry.
Jean: You did, and you can take me right to my cabin for another pair of slippers.
Pike: The least I can do. My name’s Pike.
Jean: Everybody knows. Nobody’s talking about anything else. This is my father Colonel Harrington. My name is Jean. It’s really Eugenia.
Jean walks off with Pike, arm in arm.
Jean: Funny our meeting like this, isn’t it?
— Jean (Barbara Stanwyck), Pike (Henry Fonda), Colonel (Charles Coburn), The Lady Eve (1941), screenplay by Preston Sturges, based on a story by Monckton Hoffe
The Daily Dialogue theme for the week is meet-cute, recommendeded by robfrappier. Today’s suggestion by Traci Nell Peterson.
Trivia: Preston Sturges wrote the script in Reno, Nevada, while awaiting his third divorce.
Dialogue On Dialogue: Traci’s commentary: “I love how Jean mocks the repeated “subtle” attempts by nearly every woman on the ship, then snags him with a direct strike! The last line is classic, as if nothing was calculated. Poor Pike, he doesn’t stand a chance.”