Lady in the Lake (1946)

Robert Montgomery: Phillip Marlowe

Photos 

Quotes 

• Adrienne Fromsett : How d'you get back from the lake so soon?

  Philip Marlowe : Fast dog team.

• Adrienne : Do you fall in love with all of your clients?

  Marlowe : Only the ones in skirts.

• Derris Kingsby : You want the facts, don't you?

  Philip Marlowe : When it comes to women, does anybody really want the facts?

• Adrienne Fromsett : We get hundreds of authentic cases submitted to us every week.

  Philip Marlowe : Why don't you print a few?

  Adrienne Fromsett : They aren't all as emotional as yours.

• [Talking to the audience] 

  Philip Marlowe : You know, some cases of murder start when that door there behind you opens up and a fellow rushes in all covered with sweat and confusion and fills you full of bad dope about the setup. But some cases, like this one, kind of creep up on you on their hands and knees and the first thing you know, you're in it up to your neck.

• Lt. DeGarmot : [Referring to the story Marlowe wrote]  "If I Should Die Before I Live" - that's not bad.

  Philip Marlowe : It might happen to you.

• Adrienne Fromsett : What I want you to do is this: I want you to find Mr. Kingsby's wife without his knowing you're looking for her. She's run off with another man. She's a vicious woman - a liar, a cheat and a thief. She may even end up in the hands of the police. He's had 10 years...

  Philip Marlowe : Pardon me if I'm nosey, Miss Fromsett. What makes this any of your business?

  Adrienne Fromsett : I handle all of Mr. Kingsby's affairs. He wishes to divorce her. She must be found before she can be served with the papers.

  Philip Marlowe : [Snorts]  Nice job you have here.

  Adrienne Fromsett : [Smiles]  You think I'm pretty cold-blooded about this, don't you?

  Philip Marlowe : I'd have used a shorter word.

  Adrienne Fromsett : [In an indignant tone of voice]  I don't like your manner.

  Philip Marlowe : I'm not selling it. I'm not selling the story, either, to you. I'm not selling anything. I have an allergy against getting mixed up with tricky females who want to knock off the boss's wife and marry him for themselves.

  Adrienne Fromsett : [Now seriously angry]  People don't talk to me like that, Mr. Marlowe!

  Philip Marlowe : Maybe that's what's the matter with you. Somebody should talk to you like that sometime.

• Derris Kingsby : Mr. Marlowe, may I speak to you?

  Philip Marlowe : Why not? Everybody's been speaking to me.

• Adrienne Fromsett : [Marlowe's story]  That wasn't for nothing.

  Philip Marlowe : No, it was for five hundred bucks, and you got a little piece of my soul, along with my services.

• Adrienne Fromsett : [Adrienne pitches Marlowe's story to publisher Derace Kingsby]  And he's a very well-known private detective. That's what makes the stuff so authentic. So full of life and vigor and heart. So full of... what would you say it was full of, Mr. Marlowe?

  Philip Marlowe : Short sentences.

• [Opening lines] 

  Philip Marlowe : My name is Marlowe, Philip Marlowe. Occupation: private detective. You know, somebody says, "Follow that guy", so I follow him. Somebody says, "Find that female", so I find her. And what do I get out of it? $10 a day and expenses. And if you think that buys a lot of fancy groceries these days, you're crazy.

• [Talking to the audience] 

  Philip Marlowe : I was tired of being pushed around for nickels and dimes so I decided I'd write about murder. It's safer and besides, they tell me the profits are good.

• Philip Marlowe : You don't really want to buy my story, do you, Miss Fromsett?

  Adrienne Fromsett : I was about to offer you $200 for it.

  Philip Marlowe : Oh, no, you weren't. Why don't you quit being cute, Miss Fromsett? The real reason you had me up here is because you're looking for a smooth operator who keeps his mouth shut and when you read the story, you said, "Yeah, that's my boy. He's dumb, he's brave and he's cheap." Am I right?

  Adrienne Fromsett : Well, I was about to offer you a commission on a rather delicate and confidential matter...

  Philip Marlowe : Then why didn't you pick up the telephone and call me instead of all this Mickey Mouse about a story?

• Adrienne Fromsett : I noticed you didn't do much talking while the boss was in the office, did you?

  Philip Marlowe : When I made a quick $300 by keeping quiet?

• Adrienne Fromsett : I wonder how it would be to discuss this over a couple of ice cubes. Would you care to try?

  Philip Marlowe : [laughs]  Imagine *you* needing ice cubes.

• Philip Marlowe : Where does Chris Lavery live?

  Adrienne Fromsett : Bay City.

  Philip Marlowe : Address?

  Adrienne Fromsett : 676 Altair Street. The edge of the canyon.

  Philip Marlowe : And you hope he throws me into it.

• Philip Marlowe : [to Chris Lavery]  I like your tan. That's very Christmassy.

• Property Clerk : Name?

  Philip Marlowe : Phillip Marlowe.

  Lt. DeGarmot : You like our jail?

  Philip Marlowe : Fine.

  Lt. DeGarmot : When you came out of your blackout, you started slugging so I had to put you to sleep again.

  Philip Marlowe : Fine.

  Lt. DeGarmot : Did you sleep nice?

  Philip Marlowe : Fine.

  Lt. DeGarmot : Do you remember me at all?

  Philip Marlowe : Fine.

  Lt. DeGarmot : Don't you know any other words but "fine"?

  Philip Marlowe : The teeth I've got, I'd like to keep.

• Marlowe : What was Mrs. Kingsby doing up at the lake house?

  Adrienne : I could guess, but I haven't been up to count the bottles.

• Marlowe : The girl I like won't be editing a string of crime magazines, or looking for a quick million bucks, or trying to hang a murder on another woman.

  Adrienne : What will this girl do?

  Marlowe : Take care of me. Unglamorous, isn't it?

• Adrienne Fromsett : Please don't be so difficult to get along with. I need help.

  Philip Marlowe : Like I need four thumbs.