Barbara Stanwyck: Megan
Photos
Quotes
-
Megan Davis : Can't you forgive her? She's only a child. You can always do so much more with mercy than you can with murder. Why don't you give her another chance? Oh, I know you feel that she has deceived you and sold information to your enemies; perhaps, even been unfaithful to you. All that's dreadful and if its true you have a certain justification in wanting to crush her. But, I want you to think of all those things and then forgive her. I don't know how you feel about Mah-Li; I mean, whether you love her or, well, as a lover. But, that's of no importance. I want you to see the beauty of giving love where it isn't merited. Any man can give love where he's sure of its return. That isn't love at all. But, to give love with no merit, no thought of return, no thought of gratitude even; that's ordinarily the privilege of God. And now its your privilege. Oh, General, with all you have within you, your superior brain, your culture, how can you be so blind to spiritual braveness? Do this thing I ask you. Do it for me. Do it even blindly, if you must, and I promise you, I'm so sure of it, I promise you that for the first time in your life you'll know what real happiness is.
-
Megan Davis : But I can't understand it. The owner of the car looked so civilized. I wonder who he was?
Mrs. Jackson : Some rich merchant. Taking refuge in the Settlement. But don't be fooled about his looking civilized. They're all tricky, treacherous and immoral. I can't tell one from another. They're all Chinamen to me.
-
Megan Davis : The subtlety of you Orientals is very much overestimated.
-
Megan Davis : It's pretty hard to become acquainted with a man who ruthlessly slaughters helpless prisoners in one move, and in the next shows such a tender reverence for the beauty of the moon.
General Yen : You have the true missionary spirit. Really, Miss Davis. There are times when I would like to laugh at you, but there are also times when I find you... admirable.
-
Jones : Now, Miss Davis, maybe you think I acted pretty rotten tonight, but I know what I'm talking about. Mah-Li's not your kind: she's just a conniving little dame who deserves every bit that's coming to her.
Megan Davis : Including murder, I suppose?
Jones : Now, you let the General be the judge of that. He runs his own show out here with about 50 centuries of authority back of him. You missionaries come out here and expect to convert 500 million people overnight. Heh! Why, changing a leopard's spots is duck soup compared to changing China. You know, you're lucky to be alive out here yourself. Now you go back to your room, go to bed and behave.
Megan Davis : Not until I've seen the General!
-
Megan Davis : Doctor Stike told me all about you. You yellow swine, if you think that... I advise you to send me back to Shanghai just as soon as you can.
General Yen : You will always find me, your most humble servant.
-
Megan Davis : I was greatly relieved tonight when I heard there was another American in this strange place.
Jones : Well, thank you for the compliment, but, I guess I'm what's known in the dime novels as a renegade. And a darn good one at that. I don't think I'd be much of a relief to anybody.
-
Megan Davis : East or West, men seldom deviate very far from their main passion in life.
-
General Yen : The only way to get loyalty is to compel it. Take Captain Lee, for example. He is the only son of a very powerful family which claims to support my rule. Alright, I believe them. But, as evidence of their good faith, I made them place him in my hands, as a hostage. Now, if they would betray me, the life of Captain Lee enables me to save my own face. That's the way we get loyalty in China.
Megan Davis : That's why China's 2,000 years behind the times.
-
General Yen : Should be another Great Wall to keep your kind out.
Megan Davis : You've already got a Great Wall around you that isn't built of mud and stones. It's made of ridiculous pride and inhuman cruelty.
