Design for Living (1933)

Edward Everett Horton: Max Plunkett

Photos 

Quotes 

• Max Plunkett : Immorality may be fun, but it isn't fun enough to take the place of one hundred percent virtue and three square meals a day.

• Max Plunkett : Do you love me?

  Gilda Farrell : Oh, Max, people should never ask that question on their wedding night. It's either too late or too early.

• Max Plunkett : I've come here to speak to you man to man.

  Tom Chambers : My favorite type of conversation.

  Max Plunkett : I wish to broach a rather delicate subject.

  Tom Chambers : Oh, now don't let's be delicate, Mr. Plunkett. Let's be crude and objectionable, both of us. One of the greatest handicaps of civilization, and I may say to progress, is the fact that people speak with ribbons on their tongues. Delicacy, as the philosophers point out, is the banana peel under the feet of truth.

• Max Plunkett : Mr. Curtis? What is your annual income, in round figures?

  George Curtis : In round figures? Zero.

  Max Plunkett : May I ask what you live on?

  George Curtis : Nothing. I survive on miracles.

• Gilda Farrell : Now listen, Plunkett, Incorporated. You go to those customers of yours and give 'em a sales talk. Sell them anything you want, but not me. I'm fed up with underwear, cement, linoleum, I'm sick of being a trademark married to a slogan!

  Max Plunkett : Gilda...

  Gilda Farrell : Don't you tell 'em I've got hiccups. Tell them I've got the advertising blues. The billboard collywobbles! Slogans and sales talks morning, noon, and night, and not one human sound out of you and your whole flock of Egelbaurs!

• Gilda Farrell : Max, have you ever been in love?

  Max Plunkett : This is no time to answer that.

  Gilda Farrell : Have you ever felt your brain catch fire? And a curious grateful thing go through your body? Down, down to your very toes, and leave you with your ears ringing?

  Max Plunkett : That's abnormal.

  Gilda Farrell : Well, that's how I felt just before you came in.

  Max Plunkett : Yeah? How'd you feel yesterday after your promenade with Tom?

  Gilda Farrell : Just the opposite. It started in my toes, and came up, up, up very slowly till my brain caught fire. But the ringing in the ears was the same.

• Max Plunkett : Mr. Chambers, I don't wish you to misunderstand me. I am not Miss Farrell's husband nor her fiancé in any shape, form or manner.

  Tom Chambers : I see. Her devoted friend?

  Max Plunkett : Yes. For five years.

  Tom Chambers : Her guide, I take it, and counselor.

  Max Plunkett : Yes.

  Tom Chambers : Her protector!

  Max Plunkett : Exactly.

  Tom Chambers : In other words, Mr. Plunkett, you, eh, you never got to first base.

• Max Plunkett : What are you doing here?

  George Curtis : At the moment, I'm leaving.

• Max Plunkett : Gilda, I've been your friend for five years.

  Gilda Farrell : And I want you to remain my friend for the next fifty years. So please shut up!

• Gilda Farrell : What did they do that for?

  Max Plunkett : Why, they want to remember us. I think it's very nice of them.

  Gilda Farrell : This is no time for remembering. It would have been much more tactful of them to forget.

• Max Plunkett : Well, now, that's a closed chapter in your life. Anyhow, you have nothing to worry about on that score. I've forgiven you.

  Gilda Farrell : Forgiven me? For what?

  Max Plunkett : Oh, that's all right.

  Gilda Farrell : Well, I don't want to be forgiven!

  Max Plunkett : Well, I forgive you just the same.

• Tom Chambers : How's Paris?

  Max Plunkett : Oh, great. Fine. Advertising growing quicker than ever. The French are getting billboard crazy.

• Tom Chambers : George is getting along nicely?

  Max Plunkett : Oh, great. Great. He painted me! A portrait - from here up. That put him over in the Art World.

• Max Plunkett : I almost forgot to tell you. Guess who I saw in London?

  Gilda Farrell : The King!