Herbert Marshall credited as playing...
Sir John Menier
- Sir John Menier: You're shielding this man, because you know you're in love with him.
- Diana Baring: Oh, but that's impossible.
- Sir John Menier: Impossible? Why should it be impossible? I see no reason why it should be impossible?
- Diana Baring: Why, the man's a half-caste!
- Sir John Menier: What's that? What did you say? A half-caste? Black blood?
- [last lines]
- Sir John Menier: Ah, my dear, you must save those tears. They'll be very, very useful in my new play.
- Foreman of the Jury: Time is money, you know.
- Sir John Menier: Time, in this case, may I remind you, is life.
- Sir John Menier: My time on the stage would be shortened, had I not for years trained myself to, how shall I put it, to apply the technique of life to the problems of my art. But today, ladies and gentlemen, that process is reversed. I find myself applying the technique of my art, to a problem of real life. And my art is not satisfied.
- Sir John Menier: Yes, but that was not all together born out by Fane - you know, the, um, the female impersonator man.
- Mrs. Ward - Juror: But his evidence was of little use. He was so obviously in love with the prisoner.
- Sir John Menier: The girl said she didn't drink it. Yet, she admits she might have killed Edna Druce. That's queer! Why admit a big thing like that and yet be so sure that she didn't do a small thing, such as drink a drop of brandy?
- Ted Markham: Yes, that's him, all right. Dressed up as a woman, eh? He always was good at that.
- Sir John Menier: An extremely clever way of hiding.
- Sir John Menier: Markham, I have an idea. Do you know your Hamlet?
- Ted Markham: Every line of it, sir.
- Sir John Menier: Then let me suggest for your consideration, the series of events embodied in Act 3, Scene 2.
- Ted Markham: That's the play scene, isn't it?
- Sir John Menier: Yes - the play scene. Do you remember the title, "The Mousetrap"? Well, when he comes to my flat it will be the part I shall offer him. They'll be 3 of us: 2 cats to 1 mouse.
- Ted Markham: Yes, but, what about the cheese, sir?
- Sir John Menier: I suppose you find the brandy helps steadying the nerves.
- Handel Fane: Mine is very nervy work, you see, Sir John. You never know what may happen.