You'll Never Get Rich (1941)

Fred Astaire: Robert Curtis

Photos 

Quotes 

• Robert Curtis : Confidentially, Sheila, I'm delighted every time you make a mistake. It gives me the chance to dance with you.

  Sheila Winthrop : Confidentially, I make mistakes for the same reason.

• Robert Curtis : Hold it! We can't go in there.

  Sheila Winthrop : Why not?

  Robert Curtis : Well, you see, that's my bedroom.

  Sheila Winthrop : Robert, don't be coy.

  Robert Curtis : Well, I mean, there's work going on in there. There's a - a - a plumber!

  Sheila Winthrop : What difference does that make?

  Robert Curtis : What difference?

  [shower starts] 

  Robert Curtis : There you are.

  Sheila Winthrop : Oh, he's just fixing the shower, isn't he? Come on!

  [Enters bedroom and sees Sonya reach her hand out of the bathroom to get her slip that's hanging on the doorknob] 

  Sheila Winthrop : Charming, wasn't he.

  Robert Curtis : You mean that little...

  Sheila Winthrop : That dainty little garment, yes. What the well dressed plumber's wearing, I guess, hmmm?

  Robert Curtis : Well, you know, it takes all kinds of plumbers to make a world!

• Robert Curtis : Look, I thought you promised there'd be no more galloping over rooftops?

  Martin Cortland : Well, but this is different. She's a foreigner!

  Robert Curtis : What's different about it? A gallop is a gallop in any language.

• Robert Curtis : Hello.

  [he doesn't get a response] 

  Robert Curtis : I said hello.

  Sheila Winthrop : Oh. Sorry

• Robert Curtis : All right, now, listen kids. I want the whole number. Come on, places please! It's "Boogie Barcarolle" from the top and I'll do it with you. You ready? Music! Now give me some nice, straight lines, please. Go!

• Martin Cortland : Julia is going to divorce me.

  Robert Curtis : I'll be the first to congratulate her.

  Martin Cortland : How can you say that! You know I don't want a divorce. I'm a happily married man. I love my wife!

  Robert Curtis : And, besides, all this property is in her name.

  Martin Cortland : She's going to strip me right down to my underwear, too.

  Robert Curtis : You ought to think of that, before you go galloping after something you shouldn't have and can't catch!

• Robert Curtis : [singing]  No crying Marge and Mert, You need a girdle Gert, And promise me please, To write me Louise, And give me the latest dirt, I'm off, my queens, To learn some new routines, I'm shootin' the works for Uncle Sam...

• Robert Curtis : Sheila, how can I see you again?

  Sheila Winthrop : Oh, keep sitting at that window. And one of these days I might be passing by.

• Sheila Winthrop : How did I know you'd be silly enough to try a thing like this?

  Robert Curtis : Where's the back door?

• Robert Curtis : All right, Martin, now what's your real idea of doing this show in camp?

  Martin Cortland : Why, Robert, I'm surprised at you. You know I've always wanted to do something for the government.

  Robert Curtis : Oh, yeah, sure, sure.

  Martin Cortland : You'd think I was getting something out of this.

  Robert Curtis : Only my services for nothing, that's all.

  Martin Cortland : What do you mean for nothing? The government pays you $21 a month, doesn't it? Where does that money come from? The taxpayers. I'm a taxpayer.

  Robert Curtis : Let me thank you, Martin.

  Martin Cortland : Don't mention it, my boy.

• Robert Curtis : [singing]  My dear, I've a feeling you are, So near, And yet so far, You appear, Like a radiant star, First so near, Then again so far...

• Robert Curtis : [singing]  My condition is only so-so, Cause whenever I feel you're close, oh, You turn out to be, Oh, so far...

• Robert Curtis : Boy, that was a pip!

• Robert Curtis : [after an evening out]  Thanks, Sheila. It was lovely.

  Sheila Winthrop : That's your fault.

• Capt. Nolan : Tell us, captain, how do you find conditions here?

  Robert Curtis : Uh, splendid, splendid. The officers are all fine men, and, uh, very lenient with the selectees - I hope.

• Capt. Williams : Have you inspected our, uh, guard house, captain?

  Robert Curtis : [Wearing Willams's coat which he had stollen]  Not, not completely. I expect to spend much more time there.

• Robert Curtis : Martin, every time you get an idea, something happens to me.

• Tom Barton : What would you recommend?

  Robert Curtis : I'd throw him in the guardhouse until he learned better. Which wouldn't take long.

• Robert Curtis : [Impersonating an officer]  You see, the enlisted man is the backbone of the Army. And sometimes officers are not as considerate as I think they should be.

• Sheila Winthrop : Ohhh, Capt. Curtis. How democratic of you to have a private's uniform.

  Robert Curtis : [From inside the guard house]  Oh, uh, this is just temporary. My tent burned down and I had to order a new batch of uniforms.

• Robert Curtis : All right. I'm your man. The show is on. But I'll tell you why. Right next door lives a little lady who's going to dance with me.

  Martin Cortland : Little lady - who?

  Robert Curtis : Miss Sheila Winthrop.

  Martin Cortland : Sheila Winthrop? Up here? Robert, you don't want her. Why she's a dangerous character. She almost broke me up with my wife - you know that.

• Capt. Williams : Tell me - what action would you recommend in the case of a, a private stealing a captain's coat?

  Robert Curtis : Well, I wouldn't have him shot.

  Capt. Williams : You wouldn't?

  Robert Curtis : No, no, that's much too drastic. Besides it would spoil him for active duty.

• Robert Curtis : [Stopped by a policeman who points out a fireplug in front of his car]  That wasn't there when I parked.

  Cop ticketing Curtis : Oh, I'm sure it wasn't. Every time it rains, these fireplugs pop out of the sidewalk like mushrooms.

• Robert Curtis : [to Sheila]  What's wonderful about you isn't anything I taught you.

• Colonel Shiller : Do you think you could forego the somewhat dubious distinction of being a pioneer resident of the guardhouse long enough to assist him?

  Robert Curtis : Oh, I'm sure of it, sir

  Colonel Shiller : Well, that's fine. And so that the shock of being away from the guardhouse won't be too great, you will continue to spend your nights there.

• Robert Curtis : If I didn't hate that guardhouse so much, I wouldn't even be talking to you.

• Robert Curtis : [after lights out in his squad tent]  I'm a heel. That's what I am - a heel.

  Voice in the dark : Shut up, ya heel!