It Happened One Night quotes

View Quote Detective: We're wasting our time. Can you imagine Ellie Andrews riding on a bus?

View Quote Shapeley: [to Ellie] Well, shut my big nasty mouth! It looks like you're one up on me. You know, there's nothing I like better than to meet a high-class mama that can snap 'em back at ya. 'Cause the colder they are, the hotter they get. That's what I always say. Yes, sir, when a cold mama gets hot, boy, how she sizzles. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Now, you're just my type. Believe me, sister, I could go for you in a big way. 'Fun-on-the-side' Shapeley they call me, with accent on the fun, believe you me.

View Quote Shapeley: Shapeley's the name - and that's the way I like 'em!

View Quote Ellie: [on Peter's hitchiking skills] There's no end to your accomplishments, is there?
Peter: It's all in that ol' thumb, see?...that ol' thumb never fails. It's all a matter of how you do it, though. Now, you take number one, for instance. That's a short, jerky movement like this - that shows independence, you don't care whether they stop or not. You've got money in your pocket, see...
Ellie: Clever!
Peter: But number two, that's a little wider movement - a smile goes with this one, like this, that means you've got a brand new story about the farmer's daughter...
Ellie: Hmm, mmm. You figured that out all by yourself!
Peter: Number three, that's the pits. Yeah, that's a pitiful one you know. When you're broke and hungry and everything looks black. It's a long sweeping movement like this, but you've got to follow through though...
Ellie: Oh, that's amazing.
Peter: It's no good though, if you haven't got a long face to go with it. Keep your eye on that thumb, baby, and see what happens. [a car drives by without stopping]
Ellie: I still got my eye on the thumb.
Peter: Something must have gone wrong. I'll try method number two.
Ellie: When you get to 100, wake me up.
Peter: [after failing to get over a dozen cars to stop] I don't think I'll write that book after all.
Ellie: Let me try.
Peter: You? Don't make me laugh.
Ellie: Oh, you're such a smart alec. Nobody knows anything but you. I'll stop a car and I won't use my thumb.
Peter: What're you going to do?
Ellie: It's a system all my own.
[She pulls her skirt above her knee and the next car screeches to a halt]

View Quote Ellie: A man here to see you, sweetheart.
Peter: Who, me? You wanna see me?
Detective: What's your name?
Ellie: Are you addressin' me?
Detective: Yeah, what's your name?
Peter: Hey, wait a minute! That's my wife you're talkin' to. What do you mean comin' in here? What do you want anyway?
Detective: We're lookin' for somebody.
Peter: Yeah. Well, look your head off and don't come bustin' in here. This isn't the public park...
Ellie: Now, don't get so excited Peter. The man just asked you a simple question.
Peter: Ohh. Is that so? Say, how many times have I told you to stop buttin' in when I'm having an argument?
Ellie: Well, you don't have to lose your temper.
Peter: [mocking her] 'You don't have to lose your temper.' That's what you said the other time too, every time I try to protect ya. The other night at the Elks Dance when that big Swede made a pass at ya.
Ellie: He didn't make a pass at me. I told you a million times.
Peter: Oh no. I saw him. Kept pawin' you all over the dance floor.
Ellie: He didn't. You were drunk.
Peter: Aw nuts. You're just like your old man. Once a plumber's daughter, always a plumber's daughter. There's not an ounce of brains in your whole family.
Ellie: Oh Peter Warne, you've gone far enough. I won't sit here and...
Peter: Aw, shut up!...Quit bawlin'! Quit bawlin'!
Detective: [leaving] I told you they were a perfectly nice married couple.
Peter: Hey you know, you weren't bad jumping in like that. You've got a brain, haven't you!
Ellie: Well, you're not so bad yourself.
Peter: You know, we could start a two-people stock company. If things get tough, we'll play the small-town auditoriums...
Ellie: What about Cinderella or a real hot love story?
Peter: Oh no, no, no. That's too mushy.
Ellie: Oh I like mushy stuff.

View Quote Ellie: Aren't you going to give me a little credit?
Peter: What for?
Ellie: Well, I proved once and for all that the limb is mightier than the thumb.
Peter: Why didn't you take off all your clothes? You could have stopped forty cars.
Ellie: Oh, I'll remember that when we need forty cars.

View Quote Ellie: By the way, what's your name?
Peter: What's that?
Ellie: Who are you?
Peter: Who me? [smiling] I'm the whippoorwill that cries in the night. I'm the soft morning breeze that caresses your lovely face.
Ellie: You've got a name, haven't you?
Peter: Yeah, I got a name. Peter Warne.
Ellie: Peter Warne. I don't like it.
Peter: Don't let it bother you. You're giving it back to me in the morning.
Ellie: Pleased to meet you, Mr. Warne.
Peter: The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Warne.

View Quote Ellie: Have you ever been in love, Peter?
Peter: Me?
Ellie: Yeah. Haven't you ever thought about it at all? Seems to me you, you could make some girl wonderfully happy.
Peter: Sure I've thought about it. Who hasn't? I never meet the right sort of girl. Aw, where you gonna find her? Somebody that's real. Somebody that's alive. They don't come that way anymore. I never thought about it. I've even been suckered enough to make plans. I saw an island in the Pacific once. I've never been able to forget it. That's where I'd like to take her. She'd have to be the sort of a girl who'd jump in the surf with me and love it as much as I did. Nights when you and the moon and the water all become one. You feel you're part of something big and marvelous. That's the only place to live. The stars are so close over your head you feel you could reach up and stir them around. Certainly, I've been thinking about it. Boy, if I could ever find a girl who was hungry for those things...
[Ellie comes around the blanket to his bed]
Ellie: Take me with you, Peter. Take me to your island. I want to do all those things you talked about.
Peter: You'd better go back to your bed.
Ellie: I love you. Nothing else matters. We can run away. Everything will take care of itself. Please Peter, I can't let you out of my life now. I couldn't live without you. [She cries in his arms]
Peter: You'd better go back to your bed.
Ellie: Sorry. [Returning to her own bed, she cries herself to sleep on her pillow]
Peter: Hey, brat. Did you mean that? Would you really go? [He looks over the blanket and sees she is asleep]

View Quote Ellie: I don't want it reported!...Can you understand English? Would you please keep out of my affairs. I want to be left alone.
Peter: Why, you ungrateful brat!

View Quote Ellie: I just had the unpleasant sensation of hearing you referred to as my husband.
Peter: Oh yeah, I forgot to tell ya about that. I registered as Mr. and Mrs.
Ellie: Oh, you did...Well, what am I expected to do? Leap for joy?
Peter: I kinda half expected you to thank me.
Ellie: Your ego is absolutely colossal.
Peter: Yeah, yep. Not bad. How's yours?
Ellie: You know, compared to you, my friend Shapeley is an amateur. Just whatever gave you any idea I'd stand for this?
Peter: Hey now, wait a minute. Let's get this straightened out right now. If you're nursing any silly notion that I'm interested in you, forget it. You're just a headline to me.
Ellie: A headline? You're not a newspaper man are you?
Peter: Chalk up one for your side.

View Quote Ellie: I'm hungry and - scared.
Peter: You can't be hungry and scared both at the same time.
Ellie: Well, I am.
Peter: If you're scared, it scares the hunger out of ya.
Ellie: Not if you're more hungry than scared.
Peter: All right, you win. Let's forget about it.
Ellie: I can't forget it. I'm still hungry.
Peter: Holy Smoke! Why did I ever get mixed up with you? If I had any sense, I'd be in New York by this time.
Ellie: What about your story?
Peter: Taking a married woman back to her husband. Hmm, mmm. I turned out to be the prize sucker. All right, come on. Your bed's all ready.
Ellie: I'll get my clothes all wrinkled.
Peter: Then take 'em off.
Ellie: What!?
Peter: All right, don't take 'em off. Do whatever you please, but shut up about it. [He walks off]
Ellie: You're becoming awful disagreeable lately. You just snap my head off every time I open my mouth. If being with me is so distasteful to you, you can leave. You can leave anytime you see fit. Nobody's holding you here. I can get along.
[Noticing he is gone, she screams out his name, then hugs him when he returns. He kisses her and gives her his coat]
Ellie: What are you thinking about?
Peter: By a strange coincidence, I was thinking of you.
Ellie: Really?
Peter: Yeah. I was just wondering what makes dames like you so dizzy.

View Quote Ellie: Listen, if you promise not to do it, I'll pay you. I'll pay you as much as he will. You won't gain anything by giving me away, as long I'm willing to make it worth your while. I've got to get to New York without being stopped. It's terribly important to me.
Peter: You know, I had you pegged right from the jump. Just a spoiled brat of a rich father. The only way you get anything is to buy it, isn't it? You're in a jam and all you can think of is your money. It never failed, did it? Ever hear of the word humility? No, you wouldn't. I guess it would never occur to you to just say, 'Please mister, I'm in trouble, will you help me?' No, that would bring you down off your high horse for a minute. Well, let me tell you something, maybe it will take a load off your mind. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not interested in your money or your problem. You, King Westley, your father. You're all a lot of hooey to me!

View Quote Ellie: Well, here's to the merry go round.
Peter: Perfect. Now you look natural.
Ellie: I hope you got your money.
Peter: You bet I did.
Ellie: Congratulations.
Peter: Thanks, same to you.
Ellie: Stay around and watch the fun. You'll enjoy it immensely.
Peter: I would, but I've got a weak stomach.

View Quote Ellie: What do you say we're supposed to be doing?
Peter: Hitchhiking.
Ellie: Oh. Well, you've given me a very good example of the hiking. Where does the hitching come in?
Peter: A little early yet. No cars out.
Ellie: If it's just the same to you, I'm going to sit right here and wait til they come.

View Quote Ellie: You've been telling me what not to do ever since I can remember.
Mr. Andrews: That's because you've always been a stubborn idiot.
Ellie: I come from a long line of stubborn idiots.