Downstairs (1932)

Paul Lukas: Albert - The Baron's Butler

Photos 

Quotes 

• Anna, Albert's Wife : [about her evening with Karl]  Now you just wait a minute! I don't deserve to have you and me go all to smash. I've found out for the first time in my life - for the first time - that there are more than two kinds of feelings in the world. Is that my fault? There's a kind of way of making love that drives you mad and crazy, so that you don't know what you're doing. Are you going to throw me out in the street because I never knew this before?

  Albert, the Baron's Butler : Now you stop this kind of talk! And stop it right now! You learned something vile from a rat, and you forget that you're my wife - that I love you, and you bring him in here!

  Anna, Albert's Wife : All right, you good, good man. I'll stop this kind of talk. You believe exactly what you want to believe. But you listen! Whatever's happened, some of it's your fault - some of it. You think you can make love in the same frozen way you do everything else. And you think that's all I'd ever have any wish for. Well, I tell you plain and straight right now - it's nothing of the kind. I meant no harm. I don't want anything but you in my home. But if you're going to be so good and so perfect and so unforgiving - that I can't have that, then I thank heaven I found that there is something else. Something that makes you so dizzy you don't know what's happened and you don't care. Now you go ahead and believe anything you like!

  [Storms off, leaving Albert with look of shock and amazement] 

• Anna, Albert's Wife : You're so distinguished looking with your handsome sideburns.

  Albert, the Baron's Butler : Well, you better mind your Ps and Qs, young lady. Or you'll lose your handsome husband.

  Anna, Albert's Wife : Oh, you don't frighten me a bit! You're just a gruff old bear. Oh, but a sweet one!

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : Oh, buzz, buzz, buzz. They can't look at a bell button without pushing it!

  Anna, Albert's Wife : Isn't Françoise looking after things tonight?

  [buzz] 

  Albert, the Baron's Butler : Yes, dear, but something must have happened.

  [buzz] 

  Albert, the Baron's Butler : Oh, all right, all right. But, don't worry, darling. My father was a butler and he had nine children between buzzes.

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : You can't be disrespectful and remain here, Karl.

  Karl Schneider : I haven't been disrespectful to you, have I?

  Albert, the Baron's Butler : The very foundation of our policy is respect of upstairs.

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : If we criticize, I mean, downstairs; we are no longer servants. We have broken our code. You know, as servants we don't produce a living. Its done for us. As long as we are able, we serve them as well as we can.

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : Life downstairs is very simple. But, up there, the rules are different.

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : I hope you'll accommodate yourself to us. You know, I like you. My wife likes you too.

  Karl Schneider : And I like your wife! I like you, too!

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : Why, you wouldn't think it to look at him now, but, the Baron was a wild one when he was younger.

  Karl Schneider : No?

  Albert, the Baron's Butler : Oh, he was in the Life Guard and every weekend he filled the house with officers and all of them brought their girls. Well, it got so bad, the Emperor finally stopped it. But, while it lasted, it was a gay, wild time.

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : Madame, oh, it's ridiculous. Well, the police will deal with him.

  Baroness Eloise von Burgen : Police? Oh, no, no, no, Albert! We can't do dat!

• Albert, the Baron's Butler : I was wrong to think of my pride. There are other things to be protected.