My Favorite Wife (1940)

Earle Hodgins: Court Clerk Beside Judge Bryson

Quotes 

• Nick Arden : It'd be very kind of you if...

  Judge Walter Bryson : Just a moment.

  [to court clerk] 

  Judge Walter Bryson : Wasn't I supposed to marry somebody?

  Court Clerk Beside Judge Bryson : Why yes, yes Your Honor.

  Judge Walter Bryson : Well, let's get it over with. This can wait. This is a very complicated case, this Arden matter.

  [unknowingly referring to the same case] 

• [first lines] 

  Judge Walter Bryson : [as the omnipotent viewer/camera enters the Los Angeles County Court Of General Sessions / Judge Walter Bryson Presiding and as the bickering over a previous case dies down]  Alright, alright. The case is postponed till next Thursday. Now that'll be the 26th.

  Postponed Case Lawyer : Thank you Your Honor.

  Judge Walter Bryson : Be here.

  Court Clerk Beside Judge Bryson : Are the parties ready in the matter of Ellen Wagstaff Arden?

  Nick Arden : Yes here.

  [smiles endearingly at Bianca and approaches the bench] 

  Nick Arden : Good morning Your Honor.

  Judge Walter Bryson : Good morning.

  [the somewhat confusingly complicated and situationally humorous case of Arden-Wagstaff-etc. begins] 

• Judge Walter Bryson : [referring to Mr. Mulligan in the Mulligan vs. Mulligan-Benson case that Nick is using as a parallel example to his own situation]  Well don't stand there gawking, what did he do?

  Nick Arden : He died suddenly of cirrhosis of the liver.

  Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve : A-and they never did find out whether he slept with his beard under the covers or over the covers.

  Judge Walter Bryson : Now that'll cost you $25.

  Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve : Just for a nice old joke?

  Judge Walter Bryson : You heard me - $25.

  Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve : [in a proudly funny manner]  Oh you can't do that Your Honor, I'm legally dead. You think it's nice to take money from a corpse?

  Judge Walter Bryson : Now that'll cost you $25 more. That's 50 you owe me.

  [to the court clerk] 

  Judge Walter Bryson : You keeping track of this?

  Court Clerk Beside Judge Bryson : Mm, uh yes.

  Judge Walter Bryson : See that you do.

  Nick Arden : But she is legally dead Your Honor. You declared her legally dead yourself in this very courtroom; your decision is on file.

  Judge Walter Bryson : Did I do that?

  Court Clerk Beside Judge Bryson : Yes, yes you did Your Honor.

  Judge Walter Bryson : I did? Well I'm going to declare her legally alive, then she can pay me that $50. Will someone swear she's a live woman?

  Stephen Burkett : [happily]  I'll say she is Your Honor.