Our Betters (1933)

Violet Kemble Cooper: Duchess

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : You know, you're very naughty sometimes, Pearl, but you have a good heart and I can't help being fond of you.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Minnie!

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Pearl!

  [they embrace] 

  Ernest : Ah! What an exquisite spectacle! Two ladies of title, kissing one another!

• Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Marriage is so middle class. It takes away all the romance of love.

• Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : I can't imagine what you see in him. Surely, you must know -

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : [cutting Pearl off sharply]  There's very little about him I don't know. He's a gambler, a spendthrift, and an idler. But, in his way, he's fond of me. You can see he's fond of me, can't you?

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Well, I suppose there's no good talking. If he makes you happy...

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : He doesn't! He makes me miserable. I love him. He wants to marry me, Pearl.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Oh! Minnie, you're not going to!

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Oh, no. I'm not such a fool as that. Why, if I married him, I'd have no hold over him at all!

• Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Ah, Mr. Harvey. Still enjoying life in London?

  Thornton Clay : Well, he should be. I've got him invitations to all of the nicest parties, but he will waste his time in sight-seeing. The other day - Thursday, wasn't it? - I wanted to take him to Hurlingham and he insisted on going to the National Gallery instead!

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : What an outrageous proceeding!

  Fleming Harvey : Well, I don't see that it was any more outrageous for me than for you. I saw you going in just as I was going out.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : [recovering, after a moment's unease]  I had a reason to go.

  [sits by Arthur] 

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Arthur's just bought a Bronzino, and I wanted to see those at the National Gallery.

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : I think it's far more likely that you had a rendezvous. It's a marvelous place for that, I've heard. You never meet any of your friends there - and if you do, they're there for the same purpose and pretend not to see you.

• Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Nothing will induce me to stay in this house another night!

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : [as Minnie walks into the garden]  It's a very slow train. Pepi'll be hungry and out of temper. You'll look your age.

  [Minnie stops in her tracks, turns, comes back into the room] 

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : You promised me the luggage cart.

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : You shall have it! But you'll have to sit on the floor - there are no seats.

  Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Pearl, it's not going to break down on the way to the station?

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : Oh, how *can* you suspect me of playing a trick like that on you!

  [looking slightly regretful] 

  Lady Pearl Saunders Grayston : It never occurred to me.

• Minnie, Duchess of Sourae : Oh, Pepi. I do love you so!

  Pepi D'Costa : That's right.

• Duchess : I must be going too. I'm expecting my masseur at six.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : I wasn't going to be outdone. So, I simply said father used to sell bananas in the streets of New York.

  Duchess : Most unpleasant vegetable. So fattening.

• Pepi D'Costa : No man could stand being loved so much. You think it's jolly for me to feel that your eyes are glued on me, whatever I'm doing? I can never put my hand out without finding yours there ready to press it.

  Duchess : I can't help it if I love you. It's my temperament.

  Pepi D'Costa : Yes, but you needn't show it so much. Why don't you leave me to do the lovemaking?

  Duchess : If did, there wouldn't be *any* lovemaking.

• Lady Pearl Grayston : Oh, I'm famished.

  Princess : You must be exhausted after all your tennis.

  Duchess : My dear, I have to exercise or I should be enormous!

• Pepi D'Costa : One has to think of one's future. I shouldn't be 25 for ever, you know.

  Duchess : You've been 25 a long time now, Pepi.

• Duchess : Don't you care for me any more?

  Pepi D'Costa : Of course, I care for you. If I didn't, do you think I'd let you do all you have for me?

• Duchess : The French are the only nation who know how to make love. When Gaston proposed to me, he went down on his knees and took my hand and said he couldn't live without me. Of course, I knew that because he hadn't a cent. Still, it thrilled me.

• Duchess : Tell me, tell me, what's the body like?

  Pepi D'Costa : Oh, it's a streamlined body.

• Duchess : My dear, she's been my greatest friend for years and years. I know her through and through and I tell you, she hasn't one redeeming quality.

• Duchess : If you wanted to be untrue to me, why didn't you prevent me from finding out?