White Cargo (1942)

Richard Carlson: Mr. Langford

Photos 

Quotes 

• Mr. Langford : Poor devil, looks scared to death. What's he saying?

  The Reverend Dr. Roberts : Apparently, he's stolen something. A rifle. My rifle!

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Recognize him? One of your converts, isn't he?

  The Reverend Dr. Roberts : Yes.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Yeah, well I never knew it to fail! That's what you get for pampering him. Giving him fair wages, instead of the whip. Stamping out famine and leprosy, swapping medical centers for witch doctors, bibles for voodoos. Well, maybe a dose of my medicine will be more effective than yours. Send him back to Sierra Leone, one year. Court's adjourned.

• Tondelayo : Did Awila no want to palaver?

  Mr. Langford : No. It's too hot. I'm tired.

• The Doctor : Do you happen to know, Mr. Langford, if they brought out my medical supplies?

  Mr. Langford : I really couldn't say.

  The Doctor : Ohh... seems a shame to waste good whiskey on sterilizing.

• Mr. Harry Witzel : I'm moving out of here, Langford. Too hard on the nerves for both of us under the same roof. You keep out of my way, and I'll keep out of yours. Do your work, and don't get involved with the natives.

  Mr. Langford : "Involved"?

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Never let the men see that you're afraid of them. And don't mammy-palaver.

  Mr. Langford : "Mammy-palaver"?

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Talk to their women. Give them trinkets

  Mr. Langford : Women? Why, that's ridiculous! As if I'd be interested. You're not suggesting that I might...

  Mr. Harry Witzel : I'm not suggesting that you "might," I'm prophesying that you *will*.

• Mr. Langford : [after the going away party for Wilbur Ashley]  Say, do you fellas drink this much every night?

  The Doctor : Unfortunately, no.

  The Reverend Dr. Roberts : Far too much alcohol is consumed by the men of this coast. Even you, doctor, must admit that.

  The Doctor : Well, it's more healthful to be sober, although perhaps not *quite* so pleasant.

• The Doctor : My boy, you don't understand. That's what I'm trying to make you fight! It's a quirk that's become an obsession. It's taking away your reason! It's... affecting your mind!

  Mr. Langford : Thanks. I like to be told to my face that I'm a driveling idiot.

• Mr. Langford : [Witzel has just sentenced a native man to one year in prison for stealing a rifle]  You mean they're going to imprison him a whole year, for practically nothing?

  The Reverend Dr. Roberts : The Resident has the power of life or death.

  Mr. Langford : But... but, just for taking a rifle?

  The Doctor : Yes, but didn't you understand? He shot it off... and, at Witzel!

• Tondelayo : [Slipping unexpectedly into Langford's bungalow, after months away]  How do you do, awyla?

  Mr. Langford : [surprised to see her]  Where have you been all these months?

  Tondelayo : Mission at Lagos. All pray, pray, and cook, cook! Tondelayo remember much, awyla.

  Mr. Langford : Why do you call me 'awyla'?

  Tondelayo : Awyla is Ibio for "my man".

• Mr. Langford : Don't you ever think of anything but jewelry? You've got enough junk now to open a shop.

  Tondelayo : Just the same. You say you buy me much silk and many bangles.

  Mr. Langford : Well, haven't I?

  Tondelayo : Sure... but Tondelayo want more.

  Mr. Langford : Tondelayo *always* wants more.

  Tondelayo : Tondelayo must be very proud. She's "Mrs. Langford". She must have more things than anybody else!

• Tondelayo : Awyla make me sick! Always it is too hot! All time we do nothing. Awyla just sit and sit and not give hang about anything!

  Mr. Langford : What am I supposed to do? Sing and dance? Be a clown?

  Tondelayo : I married to you five months, and you not beat me once.

  Mr. Langford : Don't be ridiculous!

  Tondelayo : Awyla, please beat me. Then maybe you feel much better. Soon we make up. Much love. Many bangles.

  Mr. Langford : Look, in a few weeks the "Queen" will be in. I've ordered you a lot of silks, and a parasol, and goodness knows what. Maybe they'll amuse you for a few days.

• Mr. Harry Witzel : Damp rot. Very damp with him. Its got me and another foreman and it will get you just as sure as you're sure it won't.

  Mr. Langford : That's very interesting.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : And I'll tell you how it will start. You'll stop shaving, regularly.

  Mr. Langford : I doubt it.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : I know it. And then you'll stagnate and deteriorate and, in the end, well, just remember what I told you about trinkets.

• Skipper of the Congo Queen : Who do you think we see last trip back in Sierra Leone?

  Ted - First Mate of the Congo Queen : You know, that short, little Cleopatra.

  Wilbur Ashley : Tondelayo.

  The Doctor : Tondelayo.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Tondelayo.

  Mr. Langford : Well, ha-ha-ha, who is this Tondelayo?

  Ted - First Mate of the Congo Queen : Oh, quite an eyeful if you should ask me.

  Skipper of the Congo Queen : Up to her tricks again at the convent. You should see the traders, what got religion just to get around there to take a squint at that half-bred.

  The Reverend Dr. Roberts : Its the hardest fight we have. As soon as we teach a few women to cook and sew and speak a few dozen words of our language, some white tries to turn her into his own advantage.

  Skipper of the Congo Queen : Why shouldn't he?

  The Reverend Dr. Roberts : Because the end is always in the beginning. Its always the whites that become the more degraded.

• Mr. Harry Witzel : [Referring to Rev. Dr. Roberts]  Tondelayo played you for a sap. Translated your good words into bush dialect that all might hear. And then, behind your back, taught your converts to lie and cheat and steal. She's too high and mighty for the natives and too smart for the white man.

  Mr. Langford : And fond of trinkets. Thanks, Witzel. Thanks for the tip.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Don't mention it.

• Mr. Langford : What's the matter? What's wrong? You sent for me.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : It wasn't the heat that drove Ashley crazy, it was Tondaleyo.

  Mr. Langford : Well, that's interesting.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Too interesting. You're out here to work. She was picked up leaving your bungalow. What was she doing there?

  Mr. Langford : Curiosity, I guess.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Yours or hers?

• Mr. Langford : I don't know what this is about, but, don't be scared.

  Tondelayo : Witzel, no beat Tondelayo, eh?

  Mr. Langford : Of course he won't.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Keep out of this, will you. This young fool isn't under your tricks. You'll get no silks and bangles from him because they're going to throw you out of this district, right now. And if you show your nose in here again, I'll cut my initials across your back.

• Mr. Langford : Why does it annoy you that I don't live like a pig?

  Mr. Harry Witzel : You didn't come out here to open a tea shop! You haven't got what it takes. Go on back home.

  Mr. Langford : And hear you say, I told you you'd quit?. I hear you say it everyday and with the same intonation. Its getting on my nerves. I'm fed up with your blasted prophecies. "You'll go native." "You'll go home."

  Mr. Harry Witzel : That's where you should go, home. Every native here laughs at you behind your back.

  Mr. Langford : A lot of help you've given me!

  Mr. Harry Witzel : What do you think I am, a wet nurse!

  Mr. Langford : I think you're a swine.

• Mr. Langford : Get me a gin and lime. I said, get me a gin and lime! Don't pretend you don't understand. And I told you, for days, to fill that lamp! Gin and lime! Gin and lime!

• The Doctor : Is it true what Witzel said, about Tondelayo being back?

  Mr. Langford : How should I know.

  The Doctor : Of course, you do know just who and what she is?

  Mr. Langford : Yes, yes, yes.

  The Doctor : She knows how to purr her way into your mind and scratch her way out. Always taking and never giving.

  Mr. Langford : She's the nearest thing to a civilized woman I've seen in five impossible months.

• Mr. Langford : You know you're very pretty.

  Tondelayo : I know.

• The Doctor : Oh, please. Listen, my boy, go home. I'm begging you as I would my own son, if I had one. Go home.

  Mr. Langford : And hear Witzel say I told you, you'd quit.

  The Doctor : There goes the obsession again. Witzel! Witzel! Witzel!

• Mr. Langford : Another of your prophecies gone up in smoke, Witzel. Get that, I'm marrying one of us!

  Mr. Harry Witzel : What difference does that make! I'm not arguing about geography, its what she is that counts.

• Mr. Langford : Soon, I'll send you to the Sisters of Lagos.

  Tondelayo : The Sisters of Lagos make me sick! I am Mrs. Langford! You cannot make me cook and pray, anymore!

• Tondelayo : Him watch Tandelayo play.

  Mr. Langford : Oh, he does?

  Tondelayo : Him always near river when Tandelayo swim.

  Mr. Langford : Keep away from Witzel!

• The Doctor : [trying to stop the arguing]  Now, now, now, gentlemen, please. In hundreds of square miles there are only four white men. We all have our faults, and we get on each other's nerves. The least we can do is make allowances for each other. Be a little human. What do you say, Witzel?

  Mr. Harry Witzel : Well, maybe there is something in what you say.

  Mr. Langford : You're right, Doctor. Sorry if I was unpleasant, Witzel.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : [kindly]  It's all right.

  Mr. Langford : I'm feeling kind of rotten today.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : [even more kindly]  I know, forget it.

  Mr. Langford : I'll be alright as soon I become acclimatised.

  Mr. Harry Witzel : [he explodes with anger]  There you go with that blasted word "acclimatised" again! Isn't there another word in the English language but acclimatised, acclimatised, acclimatised!