Helen Hayes credited as playing...
Etta Grossman-Wise
- Benjamin Wise: What are you reading?
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Agatha Christie.
- Benjamin Wise: You read that one in Tel Aviv!
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Um-hum, I know. But fortunately, I have just gotten older and absent-minded enough to have forgotten who the murderer is!
- [before the Israelis are separated from the other hostages]
- Benjamin Wise: Mother, you have a British passport. You stay with the others!
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Don't be foolish. They have my Israeli identification card. Besides, it says: Etta Grossman-Wise. Even a German might suspect something.
- [Mrs. Wise is staring at one of the terrorists]
- Benjamin Wise: Mother, you have to sit around for the take-off.
- Etta Grossman-Wise: He has a box.
- Benjamin Wise: Who has?
- Etta Grossman-Wise: It's tinned. It's between his feet. It says dates. Why would anyone travel with a box of dates? You could carry anything in that box: a gun, a bomb...
- Benjamin Wise: Mother!
- Etta Grossman-Wise: We should have travelled El Al.
- Benjamin Wise: They were all booked.
- Etta Grossman-Wise: I don't like Athens.
- Benjamin Wise: I know. Very bad security in Athens.
- Etta Grossman-Wise: You could come in to Athens from anywhere, and nobody will check between the transit lounge and another plane.
- [after hearing the female terrorist yelling orders in German]
- Etta Grossman-Wise: The woman is a Nazi.
- Benjamin Wise: Mother, now don't get excited!
- Etta Grossman-Wise: I'm not excited. I took a Valium. The woman is still a Nazi.
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Where do you think, Mr. Olav? You've had an extensive military background. Where do you think we're going?
- Aaron Olav: What?
- Etta Grossman-Wise: My son says Khartoum. On the other hand, this gentleman...
- Nathan Haroun: Haroun.
- Etta Grossman-Wise: ...says Somalia. And as for me... I think India!
- Aaron Olav: India?
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Why not? I've never been to India! They have erotic temples there, I'm told. I've never seen an erotic temple.
- Aaron Olav: That's ridiculous! India? Who ever heard of being hijacked to India?
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Well, everybody has an opinion. Now, it's your turn.
- Aaron Olav: I don't know!
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Well, think it over. When you decide it, let us know, hum?
- Aaron Olav: India, hum? India... Humph! Pfah! India!
- [Olav and Haroun leave]
- Benjamin Wise: Are you serious? India?
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Certainly!
- [pause]
- Etta Grossman-Wise: Or China.