Cluny Brown (1946)

Jennifer Jones: Cluny Brown

Photos 

Quotes 

• Cluny Brown : You must never become a victim of my circumstances, and, if you should ever seem romantic to me - don't hesitate. Just kick me.

  Adam Belinski : Yes, let's kick each other.

• Jonathan Wilson : Mother's taken a great liking to you.

  Cluny Brown : How do you know? She didn't say anything.

  Jonathan Wilson : That's the point. Mother doesn't waste words on flattery. If she speaks it's to correct faults.

• Cluny Brown : I can't quite describe it. I feel chirrupy.

  Hilary Ames : Chirrupy? I don't ever remember feeling chirrupy.

  Adam Belinski : I'm afraid you never will, my dear Ames. There is not a chirrup in you.

• Cluny Brown : Uncle Arn, do you know why girls leave home? Girls leave home because they're thrown out.

• Cluny Brown : It's wonderful how a dog can bring people together isn't it?

  Col. Charles Duff Graham : Yes, yes, yes. So it 'tis. Uh, ha, ha, I never thought of that.

• Cluny Brown : Mr. Wilson had a long talk with me afterwards. He told me what he thought of me. Some of it was in Latin.

• Hilary Ames : But look here, are you a plumber?

  Cluny Brown : Oh, no. But I've been around pipes and sewers and taps and things, ever since I came to live with Uncle Arn. And, of course, I've watched him work. He's a good plumber. But if you ask me, much too conservative.

• Adam Belinski : What if the thing does go wrong. Let's assume the whole place gets flooded, and there is no party. You save your liquor. Is that bad? But if the girl succeeds...

  Cluny Brown : Please, sir, do let me.

  Hilary Ames : Why yes, I'll do it. Yes, I'll do it. Come on. Relieve the drain, relieve the strain, eh?

• Adam Belinski : That's very interesting. You don't seem to be inhibited. Tell to me more specific - what made you think you were out of place?

  Cluny Brown : Oh, I don't think I was. It's Uncle Arn. He's always telling me, "Cluny Brown, you don't know your place."

• Cluny Brown : Oh, but Uncle Arn, these gentlemen have been so nice to me.

  Uncle Arn Porritt : There ya go again. Takin' advantage of it. You don't know yer place...

  Cluny Brown : But Uncle Arn, what is my place? What's anybody's place? What's your place? If you wanna feed nuts to the squirrels, what have I to say to you? Do you?

• Sir Henry Carmel : You mean to tell me young girls go in for plumbing nowadays?

  Cluny Brown : It's great fun, and it does everybody so much good.

  Sir Henry Carmel : By George, when I was a young man, we never even discussed plumbing. As a matter of fact, we didn't have any.

• Cluny Brown : [to Sir Henry and Lady Alice]  You're so much nicer than I thought. In fact, I didn't think you'd be nice at all.

• Mrs. Maile : But, before you go, if I haven't made myself quite clear.

  Cluny Brown : Oh, you've made yourself quite clear. I understand perfectly. For instance, if I feel like - what was it the gentleman said? Oh, yes, if I feel like feeding squirrels to the nuts, this isn't the place for it.

• Cluny Brown : Oh, you know, Mr. Wilson's the only chemist around here for miles and miles. It's so exciting to meet a man who's surrounded by hundreds of bottles, and every one of them life or death.

• Cluny Brown : I should have been satisfied to look intelligent.

• Cluny Brown : [looking at Wilson's painting on the wall]  Poor little sheep. It hasn't much future, has it? Just mutton.

  Jonathan Wilson : And where would England be without it? If I was a sheep, I should be proud to serve the empire.

• Cluny Brown : It would be almost worth a fire to see you in action.

  Jonathan Wilson : Thank you, Miss Brown.

• Jonathan Wilson : [the bell on the front door of his shop rings]  You think I'm going out to attend to the client at once, don't you?

  Cluny Brown : Well, aren't you?

  Jonathan Wilson : [shaking his head]  No. No, indeed.

  [he plays a couple more notes on the harmonium] 

  Jonathan Wilson : It is the privilege of a successful establishment to keep the client on edge. He's so grateful when you do arrive.

• Cluny Brown : But I'm sure some day your ship will come in too.

  Adam Belinski : Don't worry about me. If it doesn't come, I'm a good swimmer.

• Adam Belinski : What did you do, Cluny?

  Cluny Brown : Well, you know what plumbing does to me. Just can't keep my hands off it. And I didn't last night. Oh, I don't blame Mr. Wilson. You know, Mr. Belinski, men just don't marry plumbers.

• Cluny Brown : Oh, it's so good to talk to someone else who's out of place too.

• Cluny Brown : What a wonderful day this has been for me. My first sink, and my first cocktail - a martini cocktail... with an olive.

  Adam Belinski : Have some more.

  Hilary Ames : Should she?

  Adam Belinski : Definitely!

  Cluny Brown : Oh yeah, thank you.

• Adam Belinski : I'm going to write a bestseller. A murder mystery.

  Cluny Brown : A murder mystery? What's it going to be about?

  Adam Belinski : A murder. A man gets murdered.

  Cluny Brown : Who's the man?

  Adam Belinski : A rich man.

  Cluny Brown : Oh, yes, there's no use murdering a poor man.

  Adam Belinski : How right you are. You see how well we work together?

  Cluny Brown : Who killed him? Who did it?

  Adam Belinski : For 365 pages, I will not know myself. But when on page 366 it finally comes out, will I be surprised and so will millions of others. Cluny, this book will make enough money for both of us.

  Cluny Brown : But, Mr. Belinski, what if there should be three of us?

  Adam Belinski : Then I'll write a sequel. But why limit ourselves? I'll write a serial.

  Cluny Brown : Oh, Mr. Belinksi, I don't think I'll have much time for plumbing.

  [They kiss]