The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947)

William Powell: Senator Melvin G. Ashton

Photos 

Quotes 

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [to Houlihan]  Owning a nice little diary is like owning a nice little atom bomb. Even if you never do anything with it, it's a comfort to know it's there.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : There's one thing you can't say about me, Fred, I have never put one man or woman on the public payroll who was not my own blood kin-or Mrs. Ashton's, anyway.

• Houlihan : Must be something you can do, Mel. Haven't you any talents at all?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I have many talents, but uh, not definitely.

  [Cronies ask questions] 

  Frank : Ain't you even a lawyer?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I am not a lawyer.

  Politico : Can you type?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Not with both hands.

  Houlihan : Give us some kind of clue, Mel. What can you do?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Be a senator.

• Houlihan : The party needs ya, Mel. We can win with ya now, with that book back.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Hmmm, You know I was just wondering. Do they give you that $75,000 right away or do you have to wait until the end of the year?

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : All right boys. Who wants what in the cabinet?

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I'm sorry, mama. But they say it's quite an attractive little island, mama. Plenty of grapefruit and coconuts, and a lovely little white house for us.

  Mrs. Ashton (Cameo Appearance) : A little white house isn't exactly what you promised me, darling. But still...

• Waiter : Vodka, I take, is not good enough for you?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Is that fellow radical?

  Lew Gibson : No, no. He just likes vodka.

• Houlihan : And another thing. What's the big idea of telling those reporters you're not a candidate for the nomination?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Because I'm not.

  Houlihan : Then stop denying it. No member of the party has a right to deny that he's a candidate unless he is a candidate.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [On the telephone with Mrs. Ashton]  Hello! Hello, mama. How's everything? Uh, mama, I'm an Indian now. Yes, it was wonderful. You'll see it in the pictures. I come out and I say, 'How!'

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : This is no time for emotionalism, but rather for a serious searching of the heart. As you all know, I am a simple, plain talking man, with no taste for evasion and no talent for fancy words. So, I am going to be open and above board with you, as I have always been. Ladies and Gentlemen, I cannot put this too strongly - I am not a candidate for the presidency... But... there are times when decisions of this sort are no longer a matter of individual...

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I say, 'No!' and again, 'No!' I will not raise one finger to obtain this greatest gift within the power of a grateful republic, this brightest jewel in the diadem of mankind. But, if the voice of the people of these United States - if that voice should ring out over the land, and say to me, 'Come!' - then I can only bow my head and say in all humility, 'I will.'

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Well, I've got a bigger family than all the rest of those jokers put together. Three fine sons and four beautiful daughters.

  Houlihan : You mean you have seven secretaries?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Well, why not? Senator Arb... has 36.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : There's one thing you can't say about me, Fred. I have never put one man or one woman on the public payroll who was not my own blood kin... or Mrs. Ashton's, anyway.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [Speaking at a Labor Temple]  But why stop at a five-day week for seven days' pay? This is a rich country. Why not a three-day week and for eight days pay?

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [Speaking at the Bankers Club]  Strictly between ourselves, gentlemen. The time has come for management to take a firm stand. Now, in the Ashton labor control bill, I propose an eight-day week for a two-day pay.

• Waiter : I heard your speeches over the radio, Sen. Ashton.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Ah, did you really?

  Waiter : Not one word in defense of poor little Yugoslavia.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Do Indians vote in this country?

  Lew Gibson : Yes

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Help yourselves, fellas. Take all you want.

  [Rodeo Indians help themselves to the fruit basket] 

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : The McCoy-Keith-Ashton bill is designed for the protection of man's most faithful servant - the letter carrier.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Whatever my opponent has offered, I'll double it.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I propose a $5,000 bonus to every man, woman and child in the country who did not go to war.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [Speaking at the party convention]  The first plan in my platform is to get me in the White House. Two, Social Security - $200 a week for every man, woman and child in this country, from the date of birth until the date of death, inclusive. Three, Veteran's Relief - Twice what any other candidate offers. Four, Old Age Insurance. - No old age insurance. We must economize somewhere. But, at the age of 45, every American citizen who has ever paid an income tax shall have the entire amount that he has paid - every penny of it - refunded to him, with interest. Five, Education - The United States government should send every man, woman and child in this country through Harvard.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Why does this young lady of yours, miss McNaughton, keep referring to me as Senator Ashcan?

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Oh, come now, Lew. Let's not speak lightly of labor's right to strike. Nor of management's right to object to labor's right to strike.

• Lew Gibson : What enemies have you got?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Well, that... that opens up quite a field.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [On telephone with his wife in Washington]  Hello, Mamma! This is United States Senator Melvin G... it... it's me, mama.

• Farrell : We just got a complaint from an elderly lady that the senator here has been running around nude in the Queen Victoria cocktail lounge.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I was looking for the elevators.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Where's that 28th floor waiter? That communist?

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I wasn't going to jump. Just trying to get a little fresh air. Dumb flatfoot!

  Farrell : I'm sorry, senator. We've lost so many guests that way, I guess I'm getting a little jump-minded.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Love Sonnets for the Portuguese? That's not mine. I've never read that sort of stuff in my life.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : How am I going to live?

  Houlihan : Well, off your interest of course.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : What interest?

  Houlihan : The interest off your capital.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : What capital?

• Houlihan : What capital? You mean to say you've been in politics for 30 years and haven't any capital?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Well, how could I have, Fred? How did I know that that income tax bill meant me too?

• Frank : Look, what did you do before you went into politics?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I was a public highway safety deviser.

  Frank : What the Sam Hill was that?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : I painted those white lines down the middle of paved roads. But those roads are all painted now, Fred, even if I could bend over that far any more.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : You know, there's only one thing I can think of - aside from being a senator, of course, that I feel pretty well qualified to do.

  Houlihan : What's that?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Be president.

• Houlihan : I've got it. You can be a czar.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Won't go to Russia.

  Houlihan : No, no. An American czar, like baseball... a sport.

• Houlihan : What about basketball.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Oh, know basketball very well. Played that in high school - fullback.

  Houlihan : Football?

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Football? Oh, uh... 28, 82, 26, 78, hike. Heh, heh, I remember. You really think you could arrange that?

  Houlihan : I believe so. I think the duties would be relatively simple.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Oh, never mind the duties what does it pay?

  Houlihan : About a hundred and fifty thousand, I should imagine.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : A hundred and fif... Say, that's more than the president.

  Frank : It's a bigger job. Youth of the nation. Hope of the future. You know.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [Writing a telegram to resign from the Senate: President of the Senate - Dear Sir: I hear by] 

  [sic] 

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : resign from the U.S. Senate because... ] Which do you think sounds better - uh, that my health has broken down as a result of over work, or that my mission for the American people has at last been accomplished?

  Houlihan : Just say ya quit. I don't look for anybody to quibble about it.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Oh, I think overworked sounds more sincere.

• Houlihan : What's the matter, Mel? You're going to be president.

  Senator Melvin G. Ashton : Yeah, that's just it. It's all right for you fellas to celebrate, but I've just taken a 50 percent cut in pay.

• Senator Melvin G. Ashton : [On telephone to his wife]  Hello, mama? Well, it's all settled. I'm going to be president. I know, but it's the best I can do. Yes, but, think of the prestige, mama. Well, you think it over, and I'll call you back. Goodbye, mama.