My Man Godfrey (1936)

Carole Lombard: Irene Bullock

Photos 

3 more photos

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  [Irene is getting ready to marry a surprised Godfrey] 

  Irene : Stand still, Godfrey. It'll all be over in a minute.

• [at the city dump] 

  Irene : Could you tell me why you live in a place like this when there's so many other nice places?

  Godfrey : You really want to know?

  Irene : Oh, I'm very curious.

  Godfrey : It's because my real estate agent felt that the altitude would be very good for my asthma.

• Irene : You have a wonderful sense of humor. I wish I had a sense of humor, but I can never think of the right thing to say until everybody's gone home.

• Irene : Godfrey loves me! He put me in the shower!

• Alexander Bullock : I've just been going over last month's bills, and I find that you people have confused me with the Treasury Department.

  Cornelia Bullock : Oh, don't start that again, Dad.

  Alexander Bullock : I don't mind giving the government 60% of what I make. But I can't do it when my family spends 50%!

  Irene : Well, why should the government get more money than your own family?

• Godfrey : Do you think you could follow an intelligent conversation for a minute?

  Irene : I'll try.

• Irene : Godfrey's gonna be our butler.

  Angelica Bullock : He's gonna be who's butler?

  Irene : He's gonna work for us.

  Angelica Bullock : Oh, that's ridiculous. You don't know anything about him. He hasn't any recommendations...

  Irene : Well, the last one had recommendations and stole all the silver.

  Angelica Bullock : Well, that was merely a coincidence.

  Godfrey : People who take in stray cats say they make the best pets, madam.

  Angelica Bullock : I don't see what cats have got to do with butlers.

• Detective : [notices Carlo by the french doors]  Who's that?

  Irene : It's mother's protegé.

  Detective : No wisecracks. Is that your son?

  Alexander Bullock : That? Say, listen. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I'll be hanged if I'll plead guilty to that!

• [Irene poses dramatically] 

  Cornelia Bullock : Oh, I remember that pose so well. I learned it in Dramatics School. It's Number 8 isn't it?

  Faithful George : Yep, that's Number 8 all right.

  Cornelia Bullock : Am I spoiling your act, dear?

  Irene : [under her breath to Cornelia]  I'll spoil something of yours someday and it won't be your act!

• Irene : Can you butle?

  Godfrey : Butle?

  Irene : Yes, we're fresh out of butlers. The one we had left this morning.

• Godfrey : These flowers just came for you, miss. Where shall I put them?

  Irene : What difference does it make where one puts flowers when one's heart is breaking?

  Godfrey : Yes, miss. Shall I put them on the piano?

• Godfrey : Hasn't anyone ever told you about certain proprieties?

  Irene : You use such lovely big words. I like big words. What does it mean?

  Godfrey : Well, I'll try to simplify it. Hasn't your mother or anyone ever explained to you that some things are proper and some things are not?

  Irene : No she hasn't. She rambles on quite a bit, but then she never has anything to say.

• Godfrey : But you want me to remain, don't you?

  Irene : Oh, of course!

  Godfrey : And I want to justify your faith in me by being a very good butler, and filling the void created by your late, lamented Pomeranian.

  Irene : Oh, I've forgotten all about him. He had fleas, anyway. Besides, you're different. You use big words, and you're much cuter.

• Godfrey : Do you mind telling me just what a scavenger hunt is?

  Irene : Well, a scavenger hunt is exactly like a treasure hunt, except in a treasure hunt you try to find something you want, and in a scavenger hunt you try to find something that nobody wants.

  Godfrey : Hmm, like a forgotten man?

  Irene : That's right, and the one who wins gets a prize, only there really isn't a prize. It's just the honor of winning, because all the money goes to charity, that is, if there is any money left over, but there never is.

  Godfrey : Well, that clears the whole matter up beautifully.

• Irene : [visiting Godfrey's restaurant built on top of the old dump]  Oh my, how you've fixed this place up, Godfrey! It's much nicer than when I was here before!

  Godfrey : Oh, you've noticed that, huh?

  Irene : Are the forgotten men having a party?

  Godfrey : It's their annual reunion.

  Irene : I saw the mayor out there. Is he one of them, too?

  Godfrey : He's the guest of honor.

  Irene : Oh, it's a lovely view - the view of the bridge. Is it always there?

  Godfrey : Most always.

  Irene : Oh, you have a kitchen! I'm gonna like this place very much.

• Godfrey : Why can't you let me alone?

  Irene : Because you're my responsibility and someone has to take care of you.

  Godfrey : I can take care of myself.

  Irene : You can't look me in the eye and say that. You love me and you know it. You know, there's no sense in struggling against a thing when it's got you. It's got you and that's all there is to it - it's got you!

• Irene : I went to Venice, and one night I went for a ride in one of those rowboats that the man pushes with a stick. Not a matador. That was in Spain. But something like a matador.

  Godfrey : Do you, by any chance, mean a gondolier?

  Irene : That was the name of the boat!

• Irene : Life is but an empty bubble.

• Irene : I'm terribly grateful. This is the first time I've ever beaten Cornelia at anything and you helped me do it.

  Godfrey : Well, that makes me a sort of Cornelia beater doesn't it?

• Cornelia Bullock : So Little Red Riding Hood didn't have enough feminine charm to trap a wolf her own age, so she falls in love with a butler and lives happily ever after on an ash pile. If you know what I mean.

  Irene : I know what you mean, if you know what *I* mean.

  Carlo : [entering the room]  May I come in?

  Cornelia Bullock : You're in, aren't you?

  Carlo : Very interesting book. The Greeks of the Middle Ages.

  Cornelia Bullock : Oh, Irene would like that. You love the middle ages, don't you, dear?

• Irene : [looking out the window of Godfrey's nightclub, which overlooks the Queensboro Bridge]  Oh, it's a lovely view, the bridge and everything - Is it always there?

• Irene : [about Godfrey]  He's my protegé.

• Irene Bullock : Well, if other people can have five children, so can other people.

• Cornelia Bullock : My life is precious to me.

  Irene : It won't be in a minute!

• Cornelia Bullock : Little Red Riding Hood didn't have enough charm to trap a wolf of her own age, so she falls in love with the butler and lives happily ever after on an ashpile, if you know what I mean.

  Irene : I know, if you know what I mean.