The Divorce of Lady X (1938)

Laurence Olivier: Everard Logan

Photos 

Quotes 

• Logan : Modern woman has disowned womanhood but refuses man's obligations. She demands freedom but won't accept responsibility. She insists upon time to develop her personality, and she spends it in cogitating on which part of her body to paint next.

• Leslie : You're much too nice to turn me out.

  Logan : Nice! My dear young lady, you don't know me. The trouble with me is that I'm weak. A charming young girl like you can put anything over on me in five minutes. But at least I know my weakness, so I force myself to be rude. Sometimes even brutal!

  [Leslie starts backing Logan into a corner] 

  Leslie : You do like talking about yourself, don't you?

  Logan : Why... yes... most men do. But at least they know the truth about themselves. Women don't. They only know the truth about each other.

• Logan : Modern woman has no loyalty, decency, or justice; no endurance, reticence, or self-control; no affection, fine feelings, or mercy. In short, she is unprincipled, relentless, and exacting; idle, unproductive, and tedious; unimaginative, humorless, and vain; vindictive, undignified, and weak. And the sooner man takes out his whip again, the better for sanity and progress.

• Logan : We have ample opportunities in this court for learning what women mean, or what they mean they mean if in these days they mean anything at all.

• Logan : Because of my profession I happen to be able to know what lies behind those dear deceiving lips...

  Leslie : Oh - you're a dentist?

  Logan : No! I'm a barrister!

• Logan : Think back to that sacred ceremony. There she stood... an innocent girl about to face the most perilous moment in her life.

  Lord Mere : Look here, Logan, you've got this slightly mixed. She's not an innocent girl. Before she married me, she was divorced from Lord Lauderdale... trains race hoses.

  Logan : Oh.

  Lord Mere : Uh huh, and you can say "Oh!" again. Before she married Lord Lauderdale, she was divorced from the Baron de Brussac who makes an inferior grade of brandy.

  Logan : She's a French woman?

  Lord Mere : An American. Her first husband was called Wild Man Cavanaugh - a professional wrestler by trade. She got rid of him at Reno.

  Logan : She's impossible! Four marriages, and she's so young.

  Lord Mere : Who said she was so young?

  Logan : Uh, you did, didn't you?

  Lord Mere : Ah hah. As a matter of fact, she looks young - enchantingly so. But, she's a serpent, you know... a viper. Coils herself about the heart of an innocent man and then strikes. I must get rid of her or face certain ruin.

• Logan : That's just what I was thinking when you came busting in.

  Leslie : I didn't bust, I crept.

  Logan : Oh, may I ask when you propose to creep out again?

• Logan : Do you mind telling me this morning what your name is?

  Leslie : Leslie.

  Logan : What Leslie?

  Leslie : What do you mean, what Leslie? Leslie's my Christian name.

  Logan : Oh, I say... odd.

  Leslie : What's yours?

  Logan : ...Everard.

  [Pausing and mumbling quietly] 

  Leslie : What?

  Logan : Everard!

  Leslie : ...Incredible.

• Leslie : By the way, what is your last name?

  Logan : Logan.

  Leslie : Lo-gan.

  Logan : No, not Lo-gan. It's not Chinese. Logan!

• Logan : Where is she?

  Logan's office boy : Well, they were here, sir.

  Logan : What do you mean, they? Where was she?

  Logan's office boy : She was two, sir.

  Logan : Now, you... you opened the door and she came in?

  Logan's office boy : They came in sir.

  Logan : What did you ask?

  Logan's office boy : What name, madame?

  Logan : And what did she say?

  Logan's office boy : They said, "Lady Mere."

  Logan : She!

  Logan's office boy : They!

  Logan : One lady said, "Lady Mere."

  Logan's office boy : Two, sir.

  Logan : There were two ladies here?

  Logan's office boy : Two, sir.

  Logan : And two ladies said, "Lady Mere?"

  Logan's office boy : Two, sir.

  Logan : Where are they?

  Logan's office boy : Well, they just disappeared, sir.

  Logan : You better disappear too. Go back to your father and tell him I'm in no mood for a congenital idiot.

• Logan : But do you love her?

  Lord Mere : What?... I say, uh, yes.

  Logan : Then why do you want a divorce?

• Logan : [Muttering to himself]  A horse trainer, a brandy dealer, and a wrestler.

• Logan : You only do yourself harm if you... if you hide anything from your doctor or your lawyer.

• Logan : What am I doing, standing here, kissing you...

  Leslie : And doing it very well, if I may say so.

  Logan : ...when your husband is in there, and his solicitor, and...

• Logan : I adore you. Do you love me?

  Leslie : I like you.

  Logan : Is that all?

  Leslie : I'm very fond of you.

  Logan : That's not enough.

  Leslie : I have interest in you.

  Logan : That's still not enough.

• Logan : Will you give her a message?

  Lord Mere : Yes.

  Logan : Will you tell her for me that I think she's the most awfully clever woman in the world?

• Logan : [In court]  In my view, my lord, Mrs. Strangeways is guilty on one count and one count alone. She is guilty of being a woman. My lord, that is the explanation of Mrs. Logan...

  [Cringe] 

  Logan : Mrs. Strangeways and that is the explanation of this case.