The Sky's the Limit (I) (1943)

Fred Astaire: Fred Atwell aka Fred Burton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Joan Manion : You know, purely in a sociological way, you interest me. A little.

  Fred Atwell : Well, it's a beginning, isn't it?

  Joan Manion : Don't get me wrong! What interests me is this passion you seem to have for having your picture taken.

  Fred Atwell : Let's talk it over.

  [to bartender] 

  Fred Atwell : I'll have the same, please.

  Joan Manion : You know, I'm supposed to be taking pictures of celebrities.

  Fred Atwell : Couldn't I be the fellow who never gets his name mentioned? The one they call 'a friend'? You know: 'Ginger Rogers - and friend.'

  Joan Manion : It's possible but extremely improbable.

• Joan Manion : [Fred and Joan have just finished a dance number]  Where did you learn to dance like that?

  Fred Atwell : Arthur Murray.

• Joan Manion : Why don't I get to go to London or China?

  Fred Atwell : Why not?

  Joan Manion : Sure, why not? I have brains, I have, eh, talent.

  Phil Harriman : And beauty. Don't overlook that.

  Joan Manion : Oh, you can't sidetrack the issue with that palaver. Now, why didn't I get sent over there?

  Phil Harriman : 'Cause I like you here. Beside, you're a girl.

  Joan Manion : Margaret Bourke-White went to Russia.

  Phil Harriman : Well, I don't happen to be in love with Margaret Bourke-White.

• Fred Atwell : [singing]  You're lonesome, I'm stranded

  Joan Manion : You're truthful, I'm candid, And we're both left-handed

  Fred Atwell : I seem to have a lot in common with you

  Joan Manion : You slay me, I floor you

  Fred Atwell : You vex me, I bore you.

  Joan Manion : But I can't ignore you

  Joan Manion , Fred Atwell : We seem to have a lot in common, We two...

• Fred Atwell : Me? Oh, I'm just walking a tightrope between somewhere and somewhere else.

• Fred Atwell : Hey, Joe.

  Joe - Second Bartender : Yeah?

  Fred Atwell : [singing]  It's quarter to three, There's no one in the place, Except you and me, So set 'em up, Joe, I've got a little story you ought know, We're drinkin' my friend, To the end, Of a brief episode, Make it one for my baby, And one more for the road. I got the routine, So drop another nickel in the machine, I'm feelin' so bad, I wish you'd make the music dreamy and sad, I could tell you a lot, But that's not in a gentleman's code, Make it one for my baby, And one more for the road. You'd never know it, But buddy, I'm a kind of poet...

• Driver : Yeah. Any fool can see it. There's only one way to win this war... or any other war! And that's with men, and bullets, and bayonets! We gotta give 'em a taste of cold American steel! That's what we're gonna do, whether those politicians in Washington like it or not! We gotta fight!

  Fred Atwell : By the way, how do you stand in the draft?

  Driver : Me? 4F.

• Fred Atwell : You, uh, you haven't a roommate, have you?

  Southern Girl : What? Oh, no. No indeedy.

  Fred Atwell : Fine. We can have something sent up. Champagne, pheasant...

  Southern Girl : Now, don't you worry yourself, Tiger, 'cause everything's been taken care of.

• Southern Girl : I've always wanted to meet a Flyin' Tiger.

  Fred Atwell : Oh, we've been overrated. At heart, we're just like any ordinary wolf, eh, tiger.

• Southern Girl : Isn't it just too thrillin'!

  Fred Atwell : What?

  Southern Girl : Thrillin'!

  Fred Atwell : You certainly are.

• Southern Girl : How much time you got?

  Fred Atwell : Ten days. Is that enough?

  Southern Girl : All depends on what you all want to do, honey.

  Fred Atwell : Honey, you all chart the course.

  Southern Girl : What would you like to do first?

  Fred Atwell : Let me see...

  Southern Girl : I mean, where would you all like to go first?

  Fred Atwell : Well, I all - you just surprise me.

  Southern Girl : You'll be surprised.

• Joan Manion : For a minute, I thought you were going to be on the level. I must be slipping.

  Fred Atwell : Slippery times.

• Phil Harriman : Most women seem to like me.

  Fred Atwell : How do you account for that?

  Phil Harriman : I sometimes think it's because I don't understand women.

• Fred Atwell : You're crazy, too. It's democracy. It's wonderful.

• Fred Atwell : Relax, will ya? You're not as tough as all that. You're just a little unhappy because you're not doing what you want to do. Why don't you just go ahead and do it?

  Joan Manion : Don't tempt me.

• Fred Atwell : You have a room for rent?

  Mrs. Fisher : This is a fine time of night to be looking for a room, young man.

  Fred Atwell : Well, I don't need a room until I go to bed. And I don't go to bed until a fine time of night.

  Mrs. Fisher : Try planning your life a day ahead sometime.

  Fred Atwell : No point in it. I may not be here. You may not be here. Who knows?

• Joan Manion : May I ask why?

  Fred Atwell : You're entitled to the question.

  Joan Manion : Well - why?

  Fred Atwell : Why?

  Joan Manion : That's what I'm asking.

  Fred Atwell : Oh, I don't know. Why does a kid go around kicking a tin can? Why do owls stay up so late? How should I know? It's just one of those things.

• Joan Manion : What were you born with?

  Fred Atwell : Nothing much. Freedom, maybe.

  Joan Manion : Freedom?

  Fred Atwell : Yes, like you. Freedom for anything. To be anything you want to be, somebody - or nobody. Me? Right now I want to be nobody.

• Joan Manion : Isn't there anything you ever wanted enough to get out and work and fight for?

  Fred Atwell : Eat your egg.

  Joan Manion : Well, you have to fight to get anything, don't you believe that?

  Fred Atwell : No.

  Joan Manion : What do you believe?

  Fred Atwell : Sometimes you have to fight to keep something. I believe that.

• Joan Manion : What are you doing here?

  Fred Atwell : Well, I thought the darkroom would be a great place to - pitch a little woo.

  Joan Manion : You'll pitch no woo at me!

• Joan Manion : [singing]  Where's Cagney?

  Fred Atwell : Where's Hayworth?

• Canteen Hostess : Could you - could you do anything with her?

  [points to Joan] 

  Fred Atwell : Could I!

• Fred Atwell : [singing]  You'd better start stripping

  Joan Manion : My zipper ain't zipping...

• Fred Atwell : It has taken me all this time to get where I am with this girl.

  Reginald Fenton : Yeah, but where are you?

  Fred Atwell : That's what I'm trying to find out.

• Fred Atwell : Not you guys. What're you doing here?

  Reginald Fenton : [sarcastically]  We came to see you dance. It was lovely.

  Richard Merlin : How do you bill yourself these days? The Dancing Tiger?

  Reginald Fenton : Who's the hep chick?

• Fred Atwell : Anything I can do to amuse you in the meantime?

  Reginald Fenton : Yes. You can hop up on the table and do a snake dance. I said, hop up on the table and do a snake dance.

  Fred Atwell : Are you serious?

  Reginald Fenton : Come on. Up. Up. Up. Up.

• Fred Atwell : How did it happen that you never married your boss?

• Phil's Secretary : My stocking caught in my chair again. A brand new pair, too.

  Fred Atwell : Holy smokes, that's not so good. This is no time for girls to be catching their stockings in chairs, I always say.

  Phil's Secretary : Ouch!

  Fred Atwell : Maybe I can help you, I used to be a hosiery salesman...

• Fred Atwell : [playing cards]  Say, what's the name of this game?

  Phil Harriman : Gin.

  Fred Atwell : That's just what I have.

• Fred Atwell : What kind of a layout have you?

  Phil Harriman : Oh, the usual penthouse. Chromium trimmings. View of the dimout. Not exactly sordid. I've got a terrace.

• Fred Atwell : [knock at the door]  I'll be with you in a minute, dear.

  Reginald Fenton : [enters]  It's all right, honey. Take your time.

• Joan Manion : Please, don't be - fresh.

  Fred Atwell : I'll try.

• Fred Atwell : Oh. Oh.

  Joan Manion : Is that all you've got to say? "Oh"?

• Joan Manion : I know what we need. A little fresh air. Champagne. I believe there's some out here on the terrace. Oh, yes. Ah, isn't it perfect? Isn't it beautiful? Just look at that city. Look at the sky. Look at that moon! Ahh. You know, this is the kind of night that doesn't belong to your life. You could just do anything and it wouldn't count.

  [pours two glasses of Champagne] 

  Joan Manion : I always like to drink the first one fast. Then - sip the next one. Don't you?

  Fred Atwell : Come on, now. What's back of all this?

  Joan Manion : Well, I just want to make sure that you'll - never forget, darling.

• Fred Atwell : Tonight, I think I shall get slightly inebriated.

  Joan Manion : I think you won't.

  Fred Atwell : No stinkeroo?

  Joan Manion : No stinkeroo.

  Fred Atwell : Oh, gee.

• Phil Harriman : Well, good luck, Atwell.

  Fred Atwell : Thanks, Phil. Same to you - both. You've been swell.

• Fred Atwell : [singing]  So, thanks for the beer, I hope you didn't mind my bending your ear, Don't let it be said, Little Freddie can't carry his load...

• Fred Atwell : You know something? I think you're just about the sweetest thing I ever hope to meet on this earth.

• Southern Girl : You know, I heard you came back from a battle with those silly old Jap planes, just practically on one wing!

  Fred Atwell : I did? My goodness, I hadn't heard that one.

• Fred Atwell : [singing]  You'd never know it, but buddy I'm a kind of poet, and I've got a lot of things to say. And when I'm gloomy, you simply gotta listen to me, until it's all talked away.

• Fred Atwell : [singing]  Make it one for my baby, and one more for the road. That long, long road.