- Hercule Poirot: I am a student of the psychology, and throughout this case I have been looking not for a man or a woman who has the bad temper, because the bad temper is in itself a safety valve. No, I have been looking for someone who has the patience, the temperament to play the part of the underdog.
- Captain Hastings: I've never known you place much faith in intuition.
- Hercule Poirot: Intuition, Hastings, often describes some fact that is so deeply buried in the subconscious that the subject is not aware of its existence.
- Sir Reuben: [at dinner] War, Poirot, that's what I said. War is what I mean, and it's coming soon, you mark my words.
- Hercule Poirot: With anyone in particular, Sir Reuben?
- Sir Reuben: Germany, of course. Rearming. They remilitarised the Rhineland. They'll be all over Europe before you know it, probably start with your place, um, Belgium. Ah, shouldn't take them long.
- Hercule Poirot: You'll forgive me, Sir Reuben, if I do not view the prospect with such sang-froid. I myself have experienced at first hand the horror and destruction of war with Germany.
- Sir Reuben: I am not saying that war is a nice business, but business it is.
- Horace Trefusis: War and chemicals go hand in glove.
- Charles: There are more important things than business.
- Horace Trefusis: Business will not be the only beneficiary. Think of the great strides that science will make, new fuels, new alloys...
- Sir Reuben: ...and it'll do wonders for economy. Do you know how many unemployed we have today? More than a million! More than a million scrounging on the dole!
- Victor Astwell: War seems a pretty drastic solution, heh.
- Lady Astwell: I think I agree with Victor, eh.
- Sir Reuben: As well you would, Nancy. Never could face facts. Always the great actress.
- Lady Astwell: Could we talk about something a little more pleasant?
- [first lines]
- Hans Meyer [letter]: [voiceover] My dear Horace; We were all disappointed not to see you at our conference in Berlin. England is in danger of becoming isolated, you know. Many interesting developments were discussed, in particular Sir Reuben Astwell's new Astoprene compound. It's rumoured that Farben's over here will manufacture it under license. But then, you know what gossips scientists can be.
- [last lines]
- Miss Lemon: [as Hastings prepares to tee off] Captain Hastings!
- [swinging her pendant]
- Miss Lemon: A hole in one, Captain Hastings, a hole in one.
- Hercule Poirot: Miss Lemon, Captain Hastings possesses far too much of the intellectual strength...
- Captain Hastings: Quite right, Poirot.
- [Hastings tees off, and actually does make the hole in one]
- Captain Hastings: I say!