Show Boat (1936)
Helen Westley: Parthy Ann Hawks
Photos
Quotes
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Chorus : [first lines; the opening credits are halfway through and still being shown, when we hear the black chorus singing offscreen:] Darkies all work while the white men play,/Loading up boats with the bales of cotton/ Gittin' no rest till de Judgement Day. /Git yourself a brand new gal, /A lovin' baby who's the apple of your eye,/ Coal Black Rose or High Brown Sal,/ They always bake the sparrer and the chickin pie!/ Darkies all work on the Mississippi,/Darkies all work while the white folks play/ Loadin' those boats with the bales of cotton, / Gittin' no rest till the Judgement Day.
[steamboat whistle sounds offscreen and picture changes to a shot of the showboat arriving in the distance and the black chorus singing onscreen]
Chorus : Cotton Blossom, Cotton Blossom,/ Long to see you growin' free,/When they pack you on the levee/ you're a heavy load to me!/ Cotton Blossom, Cotton Blossom/ Long to see you growin' wild...
Young Black Man : There's the show boat!
Chorus : [singing] On the levee, you're too heavy/ For this poor black child!
[the workers run to the dock. The calliope plays as we see shots of townspeople running toward the dock. Then band plays]
Parthy : [on the boat, over the noise of the band] Andy! Andy!
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Goshamighty, woman, what's eatin' ya?
Parthy : Did you tell the band to wear their new uniforms?
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Course I did. What did we get 'em fer?
Parthy : You'll have 'em all ruined!
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Goshamighty, well, look, they're waitin' for us. That's our public! Hiya, public!
[He waves and the crowd cheers]
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Parthy : I could say that my name was Bonaparte, and show you Napoleon's tomb; that wouldn't make him my grandfather would it?
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Parthy : We don't usually pick up actors off the wharves, but we can't be choosy right now!
Gaylord Ravenal : Madam, your courtesy is only exceeded by your charm.
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Parthy : He's a murderer!
Magnolia : Mama!
Parthy : You're letting my daughter marry a murderer!
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Who's the murderer?
Parthy : That Ravenal! He killed a man.
Magnolia : Gay!
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Then why ain't he in jail, or hanged?
The Sheriff : The jury figured the gentleman he killed oughta went anyhow.
Parthy : Andy Hawks, are you going to stand there and let your only child marry a murderer?
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Oh don't be so narrow minded, Mrs. Hawks, I killed a man myself once.
Parthy : You killed?
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Yes, me. Now, are you comin' with us, or ain't you? They're going to be married.
Parthy : Married to a murderer! Oh!
[she faints]
Ellie May Chipley : She's fainted.
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Are you sure?
The Sheriff : She's out.
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Good! Now we'll go on with the wedding.
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Parthy : Mercy! Something must be on fire the way Queenie's running
Cap'n Andy Hawks : Now what's the trouble, Queenie?
Queenie : There's a powerful fine lookin' fella' out here, wants to know if you all could accommodate him by takin' him down the river fuh as the next town.
Cap'n Andy Hawks : We don't carry no passengers - fine lookin' did you say? Is he an actor?
Queenie : Might be. But he seems more like the kind of a gentleman it's a pleasure to wait on.
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Parthy : Let go of my husband's knee!
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Parthy : Shifty! That's what he is. Mark my words, if you asked around about him, you'd find something queer.
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Parthy : Gay? I don't care if I ever see him again as long as I live. He's a wastrel, an adventurer, a cheap river-gambler with a high and mighty air.