The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936)

William Powell: Dr. Lawrence Bradford

Photos 

Quotes 

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : What *is* a cocktail dress?

  Paula Bradford : Something to spill cocktails on.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Say, what is this... a frame-up?

  Paula Bradford : Oh, well, you know, "Great minds..."

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : No, I don't know any great minds.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Don't tell him what happened.

  Paula Bradford : I don't know what happened!

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : I don't either.

• [Brad and Paula in the morgue] 

  Paula Bradford : My goodness, that looks just like a refrigerator. What is it?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : A refrigerator.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : [to Nick Martel]  In exactly twenty-eight minutes I have to start opening a gentleman's stomach. Maybe I can do as much for you some day.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : [to Paula]  I like things the way they are now. I can pick up my paper in the morning, read about a murder, and enjoy it.

• Taxi Driver : [in Brad telling him to pull over]  Hey, what's the idea? You can't hire a hack to go half a block!

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : [deftly]  My man, you are mistaken. I've done it.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : [giving the cabbie a large bill]  Forget the change.

  [the cabbie is evidently satisfied and drives off] 

• Inspector Corrigan : Good morning, Doc.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Oh, good morning, Inspector.

  Inspector Corrigan : You're looking pretty healthy for a corpse.

• Paula Bradford : Hello, Brad!

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Paula!

  Paula Bradford : [kissing each other]  Darling!

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Well! No need to ask how you are.

  Paula Bradford : I'm fine anyway. How are you?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Why, I was all right. I thought you were in China. I hoped.

• Paula Bradford : Brad, I've come to a terrific decision.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Yes.

  Paula Bradford : I'm going to marry you again.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Paula, that's the thing I like about you. You're so subtle.

  Paula Bradford : Well, I was only doing it for your sake. So, you wouldn't have to pay me the alimony.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Oh, trying to bribe me, huh?

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Paula, I think you're the swellest girl in the world. And if you and I can make a go of it - I wouldn't have let you divorce me. But, as it was, our life together was simply - in-tolerable.

  Paula Bradford : Oh, I thought it was fun!

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Say, wait a minute. Just what are you doing?

  Paula Bradford : Moving in. Aren't you glad?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Oh, Paula, this is ridiculous. All that this means is that I'll have to move out.

  Paula Bradford : You'll do nothing of the sort. You'll stay right here. You're my bread and butter, Brad, either by marriage or alimony. And the only way you're any good to me is alive. Now, you've gotten yourself all mixed up in a murder case... against my advise, mind you. I wouldn't be surprised if you got bumped off... unless I look after you. Now, this is serious. You've got to take every precaution. Don't eat anything unless it's been tested. Don't open a door and, above all, never go anywhere alone... not that you'd have much chance too.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Wilshire and Weston!

  Taxi Driver : All right. All right. I ain't deef.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Drive on! And don't spare the horses.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Aw, yon sits a handsome wench.

• Paula Bradford : Here, put this on.

  [hands Brad a smoking jacket] 

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Now, where did that come from? I've looked everywhere for that.

  Paula Bradford : Well, if you. must pry into my girlish heart, this has been in Bali, Honolulu, China and points west. This went with me.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Confidentially, I've missed you both. And we're on the verge of getting sentimental.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Now, if you were the right sort of an ex-wife, you'd have a nice dinner ready at home. But, as it is...

  Paula Bradford : As it is, I am the right sort of an ex-wife and I have a nice dinner ready at home.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Are you serious?

  Paula Bradford : Whenever I fix dinner, it's serious.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Well, Paula that's swell.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Where did you get our dinner? A delicatessen store?

  Paula Bradford : That's grounds for divorce. Too bad I've got one.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Where did you see her?

  Paula Bradford : At the Apollo, having cocktails. Martinis. She had three and an order of green olives and she wore a blue cocktail dress.

• Paula Bradford : [doorbell rings]  Say, Brad, who do suppose it is?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Well, there's only one way to find out.

  Paula Bradford : How?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : I'll open the door.

• Bert Murphy : Who's the dame?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Oh, Paula, this is an old patient of mine, Mr. Murphy. Mrs. Bradford.

  Paula Bradford : Well, it's a pleasure, I hope.

  Bert Murphy : Oh, the ball and chain.

• Paula Bradford : You can have a nice peaceful life now, dear. You won't be bothered by me any more.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Not even the alimony?

  Paula Bradford : That was just a gag to get near you again.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Oh. Well, it worked. Paula, will you marry me again?

  Paula Bradford : Oh, darling, be quiet. You're delirious.

• Paula Bradford : Did you inoculate him?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : With a little difficulty.

  Paula Bradford : Oh, I thought you used a hypodermic.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Did you realize for the last three months we were married you kept me so busy running down clues that I spent more time at the morgue than I did at my office? And they weren't my patients, either! Ha ha! Beat you to that one, didn't I?

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Hello, Nick. Nice evening.

  Nick Martel : Oh, hello, Doc. If you want to make a bet you'll have to call my office. I quit work at five-thirty.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Well, that's one advantage of being a bookmaker rather than a doctor.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Did a Mr. North call?

  Fill-in Receptionist : Yes, sir. He called this morning and said he was going west.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Well, what else - what else did he say. Where's the memo?

  Fill-in Receptionist : Here it is. Oh, no. It was a Mr. West who said he was going north.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : We are now going to let the police worry about that while you and I step out and on each others feet.

  Paula Bradford : Say, I think you're a sissy calling the cops.

• Bert Murphy : You ain't heard who the other man is?

  Paula Bradford : I've got troubles of my own.

  Bert Murphy : Nick Martel.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Murphy, you're manna from heaven.

  Paula Bradford : You mean that man is here again?

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Could you drop your detecting job for about an hour?

  Bert Murphy : Sure, Doc. I don't turn in anything but lies anyhow.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : She bet that you wouldn't have the nerve to do it. I guess she thinks you're yellow.

  Bert Murphy : No lady ain't gonna make no crack like that about me!

• Nick Martel : I didn't know you went in for openin' safes, Doc.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Oh, we surgeons open anything.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : How'd you get in?

  Paula Bradford : If you're going to keep on housebreaking, you've better wear hairpins.

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Martel claims that Mike North bet on War Cloud. Well, he didn't. And he didn't rent this apartment either. It was the little guy with the scar impersonating Mike. He had the whole thing worked out! Martel was supposed to send the winnings to this address and the little guy would have gotten them. But, Martel gummed things up by sending for Mike, the real Mike, and giving the money to him!

• [Brad runs into Nick, the bookie, at the racetrack] 

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Haven't seen... Mike North around this morning, have you?

  Nick Martel : [not paying Brad much attention]  Nope.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : No? That's funny. He ought to be around here.

  Nick Martel : Not today, he won't.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Why not?

  Nick Martel : I have a hunch Mike won't be around for a long while.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : It's sort of *strange* your saying that, Nick, after what happened last night.

  Nick Martel : [more attentively]  What happened last night?

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : [laughing under his breath]  Don't worry, Nick, I'm not going to ask you what you were doing outside my apartment last night, or who your little friend was who tried to burglarize my place, and incidentally took a shot at me, or what you had to do with my scalpel being missing. I'm going leave that all up to the police. My only interest is in finding Mike North. Now how about it, you gonna give this little boy a hand?

  Nick Martel : Listen, Doc, you seem like a nice fellow. I'm going to give you a little tip: let the police do their own worrying. Mike North is a double-crossing rat. Better forget about him, and me, and the whole business. Stick to your doctoring, it'll be a lot healthier.

  Dr. Lawrence Bradford : [pulling out and looking at a pocket watch from his breast pocket]  It's beginning to look if I have no other alternative... because in... exactly twenty-eight minutes, I have to start opening a gentleman's stomach... maybe I can do as much for you someday.

  [Nick gives him a snide look as Brad walks away] 

• Dr. Lawrence Bradford : Consider yourself - bust.