Call Me Madam (1953)

Ethel Merman: Sally Adams

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cosmo Constantine : You are the most American American I have ever met.

  Sally Adams : That's the nicest thing anyone's ever told me.

• Sally Adams : Call Me Madam.

  Pemberton Maxwell : Madam...

  Sally Adams : When you call me madam, smile.

• Grand Duke : Tell me - How does this reception differ from your famous Washington parties?

  Sally Adams : Well we have a good time!

• Sen. Charlie Gallagher : Uh, Sally, you wouldn't like me to make a little farewell speech tonight, would you?

  Sally Adams : That's right, I wouldn't.

• August Tantinnin : And if I may be permitted an extremely unofficial remark, off the record, as you say, the American ambassador is very beautiful.

  Prime Minister Sebastian : So beautiful.

  Sally Adams : Well, thank you.

  [aside] 

  Sally Adams : A good optometrist could clean up around here.

• Sally Adams : And just to make sure I haven't got a chance, they make me wear this.

  [points to her skirt] 

  Sally Adams : I don't mind a "train," but they shouldn't have given me the Super Chief!

• General Cosmo Constantine : Oh, you are going to permit me to take you home?

  Sally Adams : Sure, where do you live?

• Congressman : When will you arrive at your post?

  Sally Adams : I'm not sure. Hey, boss, where the heck is Lichtenburg?

• Pemberton Maxwell : Anything else?

  Sally Adams : Yes, Slither back to your desk and write "I will not be a tattletale" 500 times.

• Sally Adams : [On the phone with Pres. Truman]  Hello?... Hello, Harry! How are ya?... How's Bess?... Good. And Margaret?... You mean to tell me that've got critics in Galesburg, Illinois?

• Sally Adams : I hear you were wonderful in the senate today, Charlie.

  Sen. Charlie Gallagher : Why, I didn't speak today.

  Sally Adams : Everybody loved it.

• Sally Adams : Look, with the possible exception of myself, nobody in this office is expected to act like a knucklehead.

• Sally Adams : And I want to tell you how happy I am to be in this Grand Duchy of Lichtenburg. I think one reason is it just so happens that one of my ancestors was Dutch. So you can understand how happy I am to be in the Grand Duchy and to meet all you grand Dutchmen.

• Cosmo Constantine : Borrowing money is not always difficult; but, uh, paying it back.

  Sally Adams : Paying it back? Heh, heh, that is naïve.

• Cosmo Constantine : I would oppose an American loan.

  Sally Adams : You're kidding.

  Cosmo Constantine : No, excellency.

  Sally Adams : Well, seems to me that's not a very friendly attitude.

• Sally Adams : A good optometrist could clean up around here.

• Sally Adams : You know what happened, Ken?

  Kenneth Gibson : She's gonnna marry that guy.

  Sally Adams : Me and my big mouth.

  Kenneth Gibson : There's nothing I can do about it.